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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27218779">Coming of Dawn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourtesyTrefflin/pseuds/CourtesyTrefflin'>CourtesyTrefflin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Chosen Twins [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Twins, Family, Friendship, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:01:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>59,926</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27218779</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourtesyTrefflin/pseuds/CourtesyTrefflin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For years, Aniya Skywalker, the twin sister of Anakin, has lived as a slave, but her life changes dramatically the moment Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn shows up. Determined to help their new friends, Anakin and Aniya embark on a mission to help them procure the money they need to purchase a new hyperdrive. They never expected their freedom to be bargained for, but even if they can leave Tatooine, will they ever be allowed to become Jedi?</p><p>NOT A NORMAL ANAKIN TWIN FANFICTION!!! </p><p>Note: The female OC is Aniya, and the male OC is Padme's brother. :P</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anakin Skywalker &amp; Aniya Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker &amp; Jaufre Naberrie, Anakin Skywalker &amp; Shmi Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Aniya Skywalker, Padmé Amidala &amp; Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala &amp; Aniya Skywalker, Padmé Amidala &amp; Jaufre Naberrie, Qui-Gon Jinn &amp; Anakin Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn &amp; Aniya Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn &amp; Obi-Wan Kenobi, Shmi Skywalker &amp; Aniya Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Chosen Twins [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1987183</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Authors' Notes: </p><p>This is the beginning of a longish journey, in a universe where Anakin has a twin sister. We've seen a number of stories where he does, and we've never really like any of them, so here's our take on it. It won't be like the others you may or may not have seen. :P</p><p>~ Amina Gila</p><p>I can't believe it! :D This is the first fanfic I ever started, and now, a little over a year later, we're finally ready to start releasing it! I got the idea from another story where Anakin had a sister, but there was a lot of stuff about it I didn't like, so I just decided to do my own version… And I'm honestly very proud of how it's turning out. ^-^</p><p>~ Rivana Rita</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For now, I'll be releasing one chapter every Wednesday and Friday. :P</p><p>And btw, Jaufre is pronounced as Jaw-Free.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>Millions of stars twinkle brightly, casting their shining glow over us as we stare up into the sky. So many stars with so many planets. So much more to this galaxy we have yet to see.</p><p>"Someday we'll be out there," my nine-year-old twin brother, Anakin, finally speaks up.</p><p>"I know," I reply dreamily, unable to tear my eyes off the sky. Someday we aren't going to be slaves anymore. Someday we will get off this planet and be able to move freely. <em>Someday</em>. "It will be soon." I don't know why I just said that, but I feel a certainty as I speak the words.</p><p>"You feel it too?" he asks me, a cautious hope in his voice, finally turning his gaze away from the sky.</p><p>I nod, meeting his gaze. For a while, I've felt there will be a change in the future. A huge change. With every moment that passes, the feeling only seems to grow. I look back up at the sky, considering. I think something is approaching. I have no idea what the 'something' is, but I do know that whenever I get this feeling – though those times are far and few between – something major changes in our lives.</p><p>"Sooner than we expect," he murmurs. I nod again. On that, I agree. While I don't know what could change in the near future, I know something will.</p><p>As silence settles again, we settle back on the ground, looking up at the sky and the vast array of stars, exquisitely positioned in the black fabric of the universe. It's one of the most spectacular sights in the galaxy. As I watch the stars twinkle merrily, my mind wanders. When will we be able to fly away from this Force-forsaken planet? Will we be able to make our life-long dream of becoming Jedi transpire? And what's it like to be a Jedi?</p><p>A sudden, strong breeze disturbs the silence of the night, arousing the sand and sending it swirling around us. It jolts me back to reality, out of my dreamland of being far away in the stars. We're on Tatooine, and slaves with a lot of work to do tomorrow.</p><p>"Ani, we should go inside," I remind, a sigh escaping as I remember how late it is already.</p><p>"Yeah," he agrees rising to his feet. We silently slip back inside our hut and make our way back to the small bedroom we share, careful not to wake up Mom. We should have been sleeping, but after several fruitless hours, we silently decided to go outside for a short time to look at the stars.</p><p>As I lay in bed, waiting once more for sleep to come, my mind wanders back to our midnight excursion. There are few things I like more than staring up at the stars and dreaming of a better future. It's the only hope I can find in our life here. When I watch the stars, I can feel a blossoming hope that we won't be trapped here forever. Sighing, I roll over. Even though I'm back in my room, I can't shake the feeling that something is about to change.</p><p>And as I found out later, light years away, far across the galaxy, a starship leaves Coruscant, the Republic's capital, heading for a planet near Tatooine. And that fateful trip, changed the galaxy forever.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing and leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 1 - Strangers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>The familiar heat of the twin suns of Tatooine – our home planet – beats down on me as I lay stretched out in the sand. I think I deserve a break. For at least a few minutes.</p><p>"Aniya?" Apparently not. I groan and look up to see my nine-year-old twin brother standing a few feet away. His bright blue eyes are filled with concern as he looks at me. "You alright?"</p><p>"Just tired," I sigh, pushing myself up into a sitting position.</p><p>"Here," he murmurs, crouching next to me and passing me a glass.</p><p>"Thanks," I mutter, snatching it from him and gulping the liquid down, relaxing as the cool drink flows down my parched throat. "I just hope we can get back home soon."</p><p>Anakin gives me a hand, pulling me back to my feet. "It's probably almost the end of the day." We turn back to the mess Watto – our master, well he's technically our owner – ordered us to get cleaned up.</p><p>"Get in here! Now!" yells Watto in Huttese, one of the main languages spoken on Tatooine. It's the language of the Hutts, the enormous slug-like sentient creatures that rule our system.</p><p>Anakin darts for the shop after we set down the mechanical parts we had been working with. I follow, half a step behind. When we arrive inside, Watto is waiting near the doorway, his blue wings flapping in impatience as he hovers a few feet off the ground. Although he has feet, he rarely ever uses them, preferring to fly about instead. Maybe it's because he'd be shorter than us if he walked on the floor. He flies closer, his very beak-like face only a few feet away from us.</p><p>I look past him around the shop, scanning it. My eyes immediately fall on the customers. There's four of them plus an astromech droid, not a kind of droid that comes here very often. Still, though, I recognize the type thanks to spending so much time with mechanics. Three of the four customers are human, and the other is a strange creature I don't recognize. One of the humans is a man with blue eyes and shoulder-length grey hair. The second is a girl, in her early teens I'm guessing, with dark chestnut hair and brown eyes. The last is a boy who looks just like the girl, maybe slightly younger. Siblings, probably.</p><p>"What took you so long?" demands Watto, annoyed at the delay. Of course, he's annoyed. He's always annoyed.</p><p>"We were cleaning the bin like you –" begins Anakin.</p><p>"Never mind," Watto cuts him off sharply, "Watch the store." He turns back to the man and continues talking in Basic, the language used in most of the galaxy. We walk over to the counter, and Anakin pulls himself up onto it, turning around to help me up next to him. The man and droid follow Watto as he flies out of the back entrance of the store.</p><p>The strange creature – as hard as I try, the name of the species won't come to mind – steps over to a shelf, picks up a piece of machinery, and begins inspecting it closely. The man immediately intervenes before he leaves the shop, stepping over and taking it away from the creature, before placing it back where it was before.</p><p>"Don't touch anything," he orders, before hurrying away to catch up with Watto and the small droid.</p><p>The creature sticks out his two-foot-long tongue and makes a strange face at the man's back as he walks away. As soon as the man is out of sight, the creature moves back to the shelf where he was a minute before, pulling off another piece of equipment and inspecting it. I stifle giggles. As long as the creature doesn't create chaos, it should be fine. I wonder how old it is. It's not a species I recognize at all, and for acting so ridiculous, it must be fairly young. It's <em>acting</em> like a child.</p><p>We sit in silence for many moments, and I can't help but notice that Anakin's eyes are glued to the girl who is standing nearest the counter. Her brother is in a far corner, examining some machinery with interest. I'm secretly grateful that he has the sense not to start experimenting with things. I pick up a piece of machinery next to us and start cleaning while waiting. Anakin readily joins me.</p><p>After another minute of silence, Anakin speaks up, "Are you an angel?"</p><p>The girl looks at him, expression a mixture of surprise and amusement. "What?" Clearly, she wasn't expecting him to start talking, and the question was definitely unexpected. Her brother glances at us for a second but doesn't say anything.</p><p>"An angel," Anakin repeats, "I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They live on the moons of Iego, I think. They are the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They are good and kind, and so pretty they make even the most hardened space pirates cry."</p><p>"I've never heard of angels," the girl replies.</p><p>"Nor have I," her brother remarks from across the shop, finally turning away from whatever he was looking at.</p><p>"You must be one..." Anakin insists, "Maybe you just don't know it." Much unlike my brother, I'm focusing on my work and just listening instead of talking. It's what I usually do. I prefer staying quiet most of the time around strangers, a trait I've gained after some not-so-pleasant experiences. I'm surprised they actually are talking to us. Most people don't.</p><p>"You're a funny little boy. How do you know so much?"</p><p>"I listen to all the traders and pilots who come through here." We are both good at listening while putting up the appearance of working. It could save our lives someday. While Watto isn't likely to sell us, knowing when slavers are coming through lets us know when it's best to do everything in our power to keep him happy with us. "I'm a pilot, you know," Anakin continues, "Someday, we're going to fly away from this place."</p><p>"Pilots!" exclaims the boy with obvious surprise. "How old <em>are</em> you?"</p><p>"Nine," I finally pipe up, "Nearly ten. We've been flying as long as we can remember."</p><p>"Have you been here long?" he inquires. I find myself wondering again why they're even giving us this much attention. No one is supposed to talk to slaves, or rather, no one is supposed to be nice to them. Maybe they don't know...</p><p>"About six years," I shrug. I don't know exactly.</p><p>"Since we were very little – three, I think. We and our mom were sold to Gardulla the Hutt, but she lost us to Watto, betting on the pod races. Watto's a lot better master, I think," Anakin finishes the story.</p><p>Yes. No one can argue that. I don't remember much from before that point, and I think it's a good thing. Even now, both of us sometime have flashbacks which haunt us.</p><p>"You're slaves?" exclaims the girl, looking completely shocked by the revelation.</p><p>I flinch, hands tightening over the object I'm holding. Slaves. Yes. It means we're pretty much not even human, no more than a droid, just meant to be thrown around at the mere whims of your master. Anyone can do whatever they want to you, as long as your <em>owner</em> doesn't mind. You don't get a say in the world what you want to do. No. Just orders. For us, it means we can't follow our dreams. And, at least right now, there's nothing we can do about it.</p><p>"I am a person! And my name is Anakin!" Anakin snaps, equally stung.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she apologizes, slightly taken aback, glancing around, "I don't fully understand. This is a strange world to me."</p><p>"Are you siblings?" the boy asks, suddenly changing the topic as his eyes dart between us. He's likely noting how similar we look with the exact same shade of blonde brown hair and blue eyes. The only difference between us is that since I'm a girl, my hair is much longer. Anakin's is short while mine is down to my waist.</p><p>"Twins," Anakin corrects.</p><p>"I believe we forgot to introduce ourselves," the boy says, moving closer, "I'm Jaufre Naberrie, and this is my older sister, Padme."</p><p>"I'm Aniya Skywalker," I reply in turn, the bitterness over our position fading rapidly.</p><p>A sudden noise catches our attention, and we turn to look across the shop. A droid is running about wildly, knocking over everything in sight. The creature – who must have been the one that accidentally activated the droid in the first place – frantically tries to grab at the droid but misses. He grabs at it again, this time tumbles to the floor before leaping back up, grabbing the droid by the neck and picking it up before it can wreak further havoc. It continues wildly flailing around in the air.</p><p>"Hit the nose!" Anakin calls, stifling his laughter. The creature seems a little confused and drops the droid but thankfully obeys before it can start racing around again. It deactivates and falls into the ground. Padme, Jaufre, and I all burst out laughing. I wonder if that creature ever stops getting in trouble. It doesn't seem likely.</p><p>With the fiasco over, the strange creature immediately returns to monkeying around with more parts and promptly knocks over another pile. I stifle another giggle and turn my attention back to our other visitors, hoping the creature won't make too big of a disaster. I wouldn't like to clean it up before going home.</p><p>"What's this place like?" Padme inquires.</p><p>"It's okay, I guess. Not a place I'd choose to be if I had a choice," I reply. I'm more than happy to keep talking when no one says anything. "The climate is far from pleasant. There are sandstorms sometimes, which can be very dangerous. There's also no government here or any sense of order. Everything pretty much just runs itself, although the Hutts are technically in charge of the planet."</p><p>"We wouldn't have lasted this long if we weren't so good at fixing things," adds Anakin, "We're making our own droid."</p><p>Suddenly, the man walks back into the shop, followed by the astromech droid. "We're leaving," he states simply as he walks towards the exit on the other side.</p><p>"I'm glad I met you, Anakin and Aniya," Padme smiles at us again before turning and hurrying after him.</p><p>"So am I," adds Jaufre before scrambling to catch up, the droid and other creature close behind.</p><p>"I'm glad I met you too," we both call after as they disappear from sight. The creature pauses in the doorway for another moment, glancing about before turning and scurrying after.</p><p>"They're very... interesting people," I muse. Some of the most decent I've ever met, to be perfectly honest. Maybe also the first to ever show interest in us.</p><p>"I wonder how long they'll be here. They don't seem to belong here," Anakin responds, staring out the doorway after them for a moment longer before looking over at me.</p><p>Watto flies into the shop from the yard as we continue cleaning. "Outlanders!" he growls, shaking his head in disgust, "They think because we live so far from the center, we don't know nothing." And our typical cranky master is back to grace us with his not-at-all beloved presence. He should consider lightening up.</p><p>"They seemed nice to me," Anakin objects, and I nod my agreement.</p><p>"Clean the racks, then you can go home," Watto orders. We squeal simultaneously, leaping off the counter and running back out into the yard. We work as fast as we can. zit only takes a few minutes to finish since we're doing it together. The moment we're done, we race out of the shop, heading for home. Surprisingly, it's much earlier than it is sometimes. The smaller of the two suns is nearing the horizon, but it still as bright and hot as ever.</p><p>As we walk, a very familiar, enraged voice catches our attention. It's Sebulba, a Dug. Dugs are a species nothing similar to humans, and from my experience, they are much smaller and more <em>violent</em>. And also very ugly. Sebulba, a small, dark brown Dug with a huge snout, is especially horrible. We know him very well and not in a good way. He's our main opponent in pod races since he always wins races through cheating. He's one of the meanest beings around and seems to find it incredibly satisfying to harass people.</p><p>Glancing around, I spot that strange creature who'd been at Watto's shop earlier. Of course, he got himself in trouble. I hope he gets off the planet before he gets himself <em>killed</em>. I have no idea what he's done to get on Sebulba's bad side, but unless someone rescues him, he's probably going to get killed.</p><p>"I knew he was a troublemaker," I sigh, eyeing the sight.</p><p>"And again, he needs some rescuing," Anakin decides and swiftly walks over with me right behind.</p><p>"Why mesa always da one?" groans the unfortunate creature.</p><p>"Because you're afraid," my brother replies pushing his way through the crowd and coming to a stop in front of Sebulba, facing him with a smirk. "Careful, Sebulba. This one's very connected," he cautions.</p><p>Releasing the creature, Sebulba turns to face us. "Connected? Whada you mean, slave?" he growls.</p><p>"As in Hutt. Big time outlander, this one," my brother warns. Great lie. He's better at coming up with things on the spot than anyone gives him credit for, and I might as well just play along.</p><p>"Next time think twice about attacking strangers," I remind.</p><p>"I'd hate to see you diced before we race again," Anakin adds.</p><p>"Next time we race, it will be the end of you! If you weren't slaves, I'd squash you both right now," he growls, stepping away from the creature and turning to stomp off. Funny coming from him, especially considering he's smaller than we are.</p><p>"Yeah, it'd be a pity if you had to pay for us," Anakin calls after.</p><p>I turn to see the older man heading back over, followed by Padme, Jaufre, and the droid. "Hi!" I call.</p><p>"Oh, hi Aniya!" exclaims Jaufre, looking slightly surprised but definitely pleased to see us again.</p><p>"Your buddy here was about to be turned into orange goo. He picked a fight with a Dug. An especially dangerous Dug called Sebulba," Anakin informs them, sending a glance at the creature who is still sitting on the ground next to us, rubbing his neck.</p><p>"Nosir, nosir. Mesa hate crunchen. Dat's da last ting mesa wanten," the creature protests as the man helps him back to his feet.</p><p>"Nevertheless, the boy is right. You were heading for trouble," he replies, then turns to us. "Thank you, my young friends." The statement is far more touching than I care to admit. We very rarely ever hear thanks from anyone, and really, that's all we want to do. Help people.</p><p>The five start walking down the street, and we take the opportunity to hang around our new-found friends a bit longer. "Mesa done nutten!" the creature insists as we walk.</p><p>"Fear attracts the fearful. He was trying to overcome his fear by squashing you. Be less afraid," Anakin advises.</p><p>We continue walking down the dusty street towards home until we spot someone else we know: Jira. She's an old woman the two of us have become fairly close friends with over the years. "Hello Jira!" I call cheerfully.</p><p>"How are you feeling today?" inquires Anakin.</p><p>"Hello Ani," she greets us with a friendly smile. "The heat's never been kind to me, you know," she adds as an afterthought, answering my brother's question.</p><p>"The heat's never nice for anyone," I sigh sympathetically. I've lived here all my life, but it doesn't make me hate the heat any less. I can stand it – most of the time – but in the afternoons, we always try to escape inside to avoid the worst of the heat. We have to deal with it however we can since there's no sign of being able to leave the planet in the near future.</p><p>"Guess what? We found that cooling unit we've been searching for. It's pretty beat up, but we can get it fixed up for you in no time, I promise," Anakin assures her.</p><p>"You're fine children," Jira smiles affectionately. I grin at her. She acts a lot like a grandmother might towards us.</p><p>"I'll take four pallies today," Anakin tells her before turning to Padme, "You'll like these." He takes three coins out of his pocket but drops one in the process. As the man bends over to pick it up for him, I catch sight of what looks like a <em>lightsaber. What?</em> My eyes widen in surprise for a moment, before I pretend I saw nothing. By the look that flashes across Anakin's face, I know he noticed it to. <em>Have we seriously just met a </em>Jedi<em>?</em></p><p>"Whoops, I thought I had more," mumbles Anakin, realizing he doesn't have enough, "Make that three, I'm not hungry."</p><p>"Nor am I," I concur, although I actually am now that I think about it.</p><p>A strong wind suddenly catches everyone's attention. Nearby shop owners start closing down the shops. I suck in a deep breath, and my eyes scan the horizon as Jira gives us the pallies. A sandstorm is coming. We need to get home, fast.</p><p>"Gracious, my bones are aching. Storm's coming on. You'd better get home quick," Jira warns us.</p><p>I nod, "I know."</p><p>"Do you have shelter?" Anakin turns to the man.</p><p>"We'll head back to our ship," he answers, seeming undisturbed.</p><p>"Is it far?" he asks.</p><p>"On the outskirts," Padme tells us.</p><p>"So fairly far," agrees Jaufre, "But I'm sure we can make it."</p><p>They must know next to nothing about this planet. "That's going to take way too long," I object, glancing out to the horizon again. A cloud of sand is heading towards us on the horizon. Gusts of wind are already picking up, causing sand to begin swirling up around us. "You'll never reach it in time."</p><p>"Sandstorms are very, very with us. Hurry!" calls Anakin, turning and practically dashing down the street. I take off after.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 2 - Refuge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Author's Note: The story that Padme and Jaufre tell the twins is based on a real story someone told us one time.</p><p>~ Tirana Sorki</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>We walk in silence, pace hurried. The sand is blowing around us thickly, blurring the surroundings. We need to hurry and get home before we get stuck out here. At least we're almost there. I shield my eyes with my arm, trying to block out most of the sand. Anakin comes to a stop at our house, hastily opening the door.</p><p>"Mom!" Anakin and I yell simultaneously as we step inside, "We're home!"</p><p>"Dissen cozy!" exclaims the strange creature, walking inside with the others.</p><p>Mom steps through a doorway, her expression one of surprise as she takes in the sight of the crowd we brought home. "Oh my! What's this?!"</p><p>"These are our friends, Mom," Anakin answers cheerfully, "This is Padme, and he's Jaufre, and..." He trails off, looking at the others. I shrug, clueless. We never bothered introducing ourselves to the others. We almost never need to do it. People rarely ask a slave for his or her name. "Gee, I don't know any of your names," my brother realizes.</p><p>"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn," the man introduces himself, "And this is Jar Jar Binks." He gestures to the strange creature. I make a mental note to ask someone what species it is later. I've seen many types, but never anything like this one.</p><p>"And our droid, Artoo-Detoo," Padme adds as the astromech droid happily beeps in greeting.</p><p>Speaking of droids... "We've building a droid. You wanna see?" Anakin asks before I manage to get a word out. Did he read my mind or something?</p><p>"It's a protocol droid," I add, excited at the thought of showing someone else what we're making, completely oblivious to our mother's confusion.</p><p>"Anakin! Aniya! Why are they here?" Mom demands in exasperation.</p><p>"A sandstorm started up right after we left the shop, Mom," I explain, realizing we hadn't mentioned that part yet. <em>Oops.</em> To be fair, we were a little distracted.</p><p>"Listen," adds Anakin. The sound of wind whistling outside is getting louder as the storm gains intensity and whips mercilessly at the house. I'm thankful we were able to get here before the worst of it came.</p><p>"Your children were kind enough to offer us shelter," Qui-Gon explains to her.</p><p>"Come on! Let us show you Threepio!" cries Anakin, losing patience to wait anymore, grabbing Padme's hand and pulling her out of the room. I grab Jaufre's hand and race after, leaving the adults to their own conversations. Since our house is so small, our bedroom is right off the dining/kitchen area.</p><p>"Just don't mind the mess in here," I warn as I carefully step over some random tools and droid parts strewn across the floor.</p><p>"Yeah, Aniya knocked over the tool container," Anakin informs lightly. I scowl at my brother. Of course, he just had to tell them that. Unlike my perfectly coordinated twin brother, I'm always tripping into things. I'm just as good in mechanics, but sometimes, my legs just don't seem to obey me. Jaufre laughs behind us.</p><p>Anakin pulls the blanket off the droid and throws it into the floor, revealing the droid beneath. It's humanoid and almost fully done but doesn't have any exterior coverings yet. All of its many wires are still showing. "Isn't he great?! He's not finished yet," Anakin declares proudly.</p><p>"He's wonderful!" replies Padme.</p><p>"He's really nice," agrees Jaufre with a smile.</p><p>"You really like him? We made him to help Mom. Watch!" Anakin adds, pushing the 'on' button.</p><p>"You forgot his eye," I remind cheerfully, grabbing it from the workbench and putting it into one of the empty sockets.</p><p>The droid slowly sits up, looking about as confused as a droid possibly could. "How do you do? I am See-Threepio, Human Cyborg Relations. How might I serve you?" he asks in his robotic voice.</p><p>"He's perfect," Padme decides.</p><p>"We found him in a junk pile and managed to sneak him here piece by piece. We've pretty much rebuilt him from that," I explain with a smile, proud of our accomplishment.</p><p>"When the storm is over, you can see our racer. We're building a Podracer!" Anakin exclaims enthusiastically. Padme smiles at us, clearly impressed.</p><p>"Cool!" cries Jaufre, "I've always wanted to see a real Podracer, and I'd <em>love</em> to see an actual podrace sometime." Padme groans, giving him an exasperated look. Clearly, the siblings don't agree on everything, unlike Anakin and me. Not like that's surprising. My brother and I are inseparable and perfectly in sync with each other, and I can't imagine what it would be like to not have such a close sibling.</p><p>"You've never seen one before?" I exclaim, looking at Jaufre.</p><p>He shakes his head in response. "I've always wanted to, but they're not on our planet."</p><p>"Where are you from?" Anakin asks, moving to start sorting out the mess on our bedroom floor. Oh, right. We need to get back to that. I scan the mess, wondering where we should even start.</p><p>"Naboo," Padme replies after a pause, exchanging a tense glance with her brother. I get the feeling there's something which she's not saying about their planet, especially from the hint of anxiety I'm picking up from her. It's probably not our business anyhow, so I decide not to call them out on it yet.</p><p>"Anyway, there's gonna be a really big podrace soon," I tell Jaufre, picking up a few random tools, and starting to put them back where they belong. "If you're here long enough, you <em>might</em> be able to see it."</p><p>"And I'm still wishing we could be in that race," Anakin asserts.</p><p>Padme's response is cut off as Artoo Detoo rolls over to Threepio, beeping loudly.</p><p>"I beg your pardon?!" utters the protocol droid in complete confusion, "What do you mean I'm naked?!" Artoo beeps and whistles. "My parts are showing?" cries the droid, "Oh, my goodness. How embarrassing!" I burst out laughing.</p><p>"This is reminding me more and more of what our garage used to look like several years back," remarks Jaufre as Anakin and I continue to pick up the tools and random machine parts scattered about and move them back to where they belong.</p><p>Padme groans, "Don't even talk about it. <em>Your </em>solution to on how to clean it up was literally the dumbest thing we've ever done."</p><p>Jaufre rolls his eyes. "I was six."</p><p>"What happened?" I wonder, amused.</p><p>"We were trying to sort out all the tools and old spare parts that we had – our parents were gone – so finally Jaufre decided that the best way to get rid of the speeder parts we had would be to burn them," Padme explains.</p><p>"Burn them?" exclaims Anakin incredulously, "They could have been useful!"</p><p>Jaufre laughs, "Yes. So, we hauled them outside and started them on fire, but it's not like we had any idea that they would let out clouds of black smoke when they're on fire. So... a security team showed up to see what was going on."</p><p>I giggle, "And then what happened?"</p><p>"We panicked and ran into the house," Padme smiles at the memory. "They called for us to come back out, so we finally did. Jaufre was hiding behind me the whole time."</p><p>"I was <em>not</em>!"</p><p>She rolls her eyes. "Sure, you weren't."</p><p>Jaufre shoots her a glare before turning back to us and continuing the tale. "The security demanded to know what was going on, and we're like 'they were ugly and getting in the way, so we wanted to get rid of them'. And they're like 'without any adults around?' and we're like – look at each other desperately, 'Uh... We thought it would be alright!'"</p><p>An extra loud whistle from Artoo catches our attention, interrupting the laughter. I wish I could understand binary. I can comprehend a little bit of it from the amount of tinkering around with droids we've done, but not enough. I need to learn more of it someday.</p><p>"Oh," echoes Threepio, "Oh dear." What did he just tell him? Before any of us has a chance to respond, we hear Mom calling.</p><p>"Anakin! Aniya! Dinner time!"</p><p>"Coming Mom!" calls Anakin, before turning to us, "We better turn him off for now." He runs to Threepio and presses the power button, turning him off. Artoo beeps mournfully, evidently wanting to keep talking to his fellow droid, before following the three of us to the main room of the house where the others are waiting.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>The wind is still howling furiously outside as we begin eating. I sit in the center on one side of the table, with Jar Jar on my right and Aniya on my left. Padme is on one end, and Qui-Gon on the other. Mom is sitting across from Aniya and I, while Jaufre is across from Jar Jar.</p><p>Jar Jar noisily slurps on his soup, acting like he has never seen anything better in his life. Either he's really hungry, or he has no manners, but I suppose his species could have different eating habits too. At least I hope they else glances his direction, and his already red skin flushes redder in embarrassment.</p><p>"All slaves have transmitters placed inside their bodies somewhere," Mom informs the newcomers. The comment seems random, so I'm guessing her and Qui-Gon had a conversation we didn't heard.</p><p>"Aniya and I have been working on a scanner to try and locate them," I interject, "But no luck." I don't even know how many hours – days? – we've spent discussing our escape from Tatooine. We'd have to build a spaceship or smuggle ourselves onto one, but first, we need to remove the transmitters, or we'll be blown up while escaping. We refuse to give up the hope that someday something will happen, and we'll be able to leave this miserable sand bowl. We are <em>not </em>staying here forever.</p><p>"Any attempt to escape..." Mom trails off, not wanting to finish.</p><p>"And they blow you up," I finish, slamming a hand down on the table for emphasis. "Poof!"</p><p>"How wude!" gasps Jar Jar, though whether he's referring to what I just said or did, it's unclear. Padme and Jaufre stare at us, expressions equally horrified. That's a feeling I fully understand. I've lived here all my life, yet it never ceases to sicken me.</p><p>"I can't believe there is still slavery in the galaxy!" Padme exclaims finally, "The Republic's anti-slavery laws –"</p><p>Mom sighs, "The Republic doesn't exist out here. We must survive on our own."</p><p>"Which is why governments are important, not just Hutt gangs running the systems," Aniya grumbles. Exactly. If the government actually was enforced out here, we wouldn't be in this situation. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I can sense Aniya's discomfort at the topic, and I try to think of something else to say. My mind wanders over our conversation with Padme and Jaufre earlier, and I suddenly find myself wondering something.</p><p>"Have you ever seen a Podrace?" I query. Padme shakes her head in the negative, which I already figured out. A worried look crosses Mom's face. She hates when Watto has us race in them because of how dangerous it is. We <em>love</em> racing because there's something exciting about it that can't quite be put into words. Thrilling, in a way no one can understand unless they do it themselves</p><p>Jar Jar suddenly sticks out his very long tongue, snatching up some food in a bowl at the other side of the table. <em>Yuck! You could just ask for some, you know.</em> Qui-Gon looks at him sharply, but no one mentions it.</p><p>Qui-Gon turns back to me, to address my question. "They have Podracing on Malastare. Very fast, very dangerous."</p><p>"It's awesome," Aniya interjects.</p><p>"We're the only humans who can do it," I add, exchanging a grin with Aniya. Mom sends us a disapproving look. She clearly doesn't like this topic anymore than we liked the previous. Her opinion on Podraces are the opposite of ours.</p><p>"Mom, what? It's true. Watto says he's never heard of humans who can do it," I protest.</p><p>"You must have Jedi reflexes if you can race Pods," Qui-Gon comments as our gazes turn back to him. I smile at the mention. It's been our life-long dreams to become Jedi, the peacekeepers of the galaxy. Speaking of Jedi, I suddenly remember when I spotted his lightsaber earlier. He must be a Jedi.</p><p>Before I get the chance to ask, Jar Jar tries to take advantage of everyone's distraction with the conversation and starts trying to grab more food from the other side of the table again with his long tongue. Qui-Gon grabs it before he manages to reach the bowl. "Don't do that again," he warns, letting go as Jar Jar mumbles incoherent gibberish.</p><p>"You're a Jedi Knight, aren't you?" I query. Aniya glances over at me, clearly startled that I suddenly asked the question. She smiles slightly, telling me she's been wondering, but is glad I asked instead.</p><p>Qui-Gon leans forwards, carefully regarding me. "What makes you think that?" he asks finally. For some reason, it feels like he's trying to get a certain reaction, like he's trying to gauge something though I don't know what.</p><p>"We saw your lightsaber," Aniya pipes up.</p><p>"Only Jedi carry that kind of weapon," I add, looking at him expectantly.</p><p>Qui-Gon leans back in his chair. "Perhaps I killed a Jedi and stole it from him," he suggests.</p><p>"I don't think so," Aniya replies.</p><p>I shake my head in denial. "<em>No one</em> can kill a Jedi."</p><p>"I wish that were so," he responds, sounding almost sad.</p><p>"I had a dream I was a Jedi. I came back here and freed all the slaves," I comment. A dream I wish so badly would come true. If I become a Jedi, I'll definitely do it.</p><p>"Have you come to free us?" Aniya asks, unable to cover up the sliver of hope in her voice. We'd talked about it a few days ago – something happening soon. We'd felt a change rapidly approaching.</p><p>"No, I'm afraid not," the Jedi replies regretfully.</p><p>"I think you have," Aniya argues, a tinge of disappointment dampening her hopeful expression.</p><p>"Why else would you be here?" I object, eyes darting from him to Padme in confusion.</p><p>"I can see there's no fooling you," Qui-Gon says finally, leaning forwards as his tone and expression become completely serious. Whatever he's about to say obviously cannot be revealed. "You mustn't let anyone know about us. We're on our way to Coruscant, the central system in the Republic, on a very important mission, and it must be kept secret."</p><p>"Wow," murmurs Aniya, gaping at him.</p><p>I can hardly believe it. A Jedi came to our planet, not to mention <em>our home</em>, and he entrusted us with a dangerous secret. It leaves me wondering about what Padme had said. Naboo is a neighboring planet, but it's not in the Outer Rim, so are they here? "How did you end up here in the Outer Rim?" I question, confused.</p><p>"Our ship was damaged when we were nearby," Jaufre explains.</p><p>"It happened on Naboo?" inquires Aniya, glancing up at him. He nods.</p><p>"We'll be stranded here until we can repair it," Padme informs.</p><p>"We can help! We can fix anything," I offer quickly. We've built a Pod racer from pieces of junk, so I'm confident that whatever is wrong, we'll be able to repair it. I want them to stay a little longer, but I won't keep them from whatever mission it is that needs them.</p><p>"I believe you can, but our first job is to acquire the parts we need," Qui-Gon replies.</p><p>"Wit no-nutten mula to trade," Jar Jar explains, one of the first things he's said since we sat down.</p><p>"These junk dealers must have a weakness of some kind," Padme points out thoughtfully.</p><p>"Always that route of thinking first," Jaufre laughs quietly.</p><p>"Gambling. Everything here revolves around betting on those awful races," Mom tells her.</p><p>"Podracing," murmurs Qui-Gon quietly, thoughtfully. "Greed can be a powerful ally, if it's used properly." I find myself wondering what he's thinking right now. He must have something in mind, though I don't know what.</p><p>An idea starts forming in my head, and I exchange a look with my sister. We have to help them. Somehow. And I have an idea which just might work.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 3 - Testing the Racer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>"There has to be something," Padme murmurs.</p><p>"We've built a racer!" I blurt out finally, "It's the fastest ever! There's a big race tomorrow, on Boonta Eve. You could enter our pod."</p><p>"It's almost done anyway," Aniya adds, sharing my enthusiasm and excitement. We've been waiting for years to finish it and had been planning to make it a long time before we actually got started. "It'll hardly take any time to finish," she continues.</p><p>"Ani, settle down," Mom admonishes us. She uses the nickname both of us, probably because it's a shortened version of both our names. "Watto won't let you!"</p><p>"Watto doesn't even know we built it!" cries Aniya in protest, refusing to be deterred.</p><p>No, this has to work. We have to make it work because it's the only thing we can do. "You could make him think it's yours, and you could get him to let one of us pilot it for you!" I offer, turning back to Qui-Gon.</p><p>The Jedi doesn't answer, his gaze remaining fixed on our mother. I look back over at her, trying to sense how she feels about the proposal. She does not look at all happy at the thought.</p><p>"I don't want you to race, Ani. It's awful. I die every time Watto makes you do it," Mom says finally. I know why. I go crazy from worry every time Aniya does. People always cheat, especially Sebulba. He kills people every single race. That's the only reason he ever wins. We've both crashed before, but always emerge almost completely unscathed.</p><p>Regardless of the circumstances, though, we have to help them. "But Mom, we love it," I protest finally, "They need our help. They're in trouble." How can we just ignore that? "The prize money would be more than enough to pay for the parts they need."</p><p>Aniya nods emphatically, looking at Mom with a hopeful expression. She doesn't say anything, clearly unsure what to contribute that I didn't. I feel a drawn to help our new friends, dangerous though it may be. They need us, and if we can help, we should.</p><p>"Wesa ina pitty bad goo," volunteers Jar Jar.</p><p>"Your mother's right," Qui-Gon tells us after a long moment of uncomfortable silence. Disappointment rushes through me. Is there really nothing we can do for them? At all? "Is there anyone friendly to the Republic who might be able to help us?" I turn my gaze back to Mom, even though I already know the answer. She shakes her head in the negative.</p><p>"We have to help them," Aniya insists. Yes, but the only question is how can we convince Mom to let us? I can't explain the instinctive drive to help them. And we can help them. I know it.</p><p>"Mom... you said the biggest problem in the universe is that no one helps each other," I say finally, staring at her.</p><p>"I'm sure Qui-Gon doesn't want to put your children in danger. We will find another way," assures Padme. Her words only dampen my hope even further.</p><p>"Somehow," her brother agrees, trying and failing to sound optimistic.</p><p>A tense silence settles for a long moment, and I pick at my food, racking my mind to figure out another way we might be able to help. Finally, Mom speaks up again. "No, they're right. There is no other way. <em>I</em> may not like it, but they can help you. They were meant to help you." From her words, it's obvious that she's reluctant. I peek at her, seeing the resignation on her face.</p><p>"Is that a yes?" I inquire hopefully.</p><p>"It's a yes!" Aniya practically squeals. We exchange looks of triumph. The chances we get to help someone are few and far between.</p><p>"Not to dampen your excitement," says Jaufre from across the table, "But I'm fairly certain you can't both ride the same Pod, and even if you could, that wouldn't really be fair to the race. So, which of you is more likely to win?"</p><p>Before I can say anything, Aniya waves a hand at me. "He's the far less clumsy and far luckier one."</p><p>I roll my eyes at her.</p><p>"I guess that answers which of you will be racing, then," Jaufre declares cheerfully, leaning back in his chair with a grin.</p><p>I exchange a glance with my twin again, hardly able to believe this is really happening. We'll actually be using our own racer, and for once, it'll be of our own doing, not at Watto's command. For the first time in a while, I'm actually impatient for tomorrow.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I've never felt more relieved than I do the moment Qui-Gon walks into Watto's shop the next morning. Anakin and I have been arguing with Watto for a long time over piloting the pod. He's not happy about the idea, and he's certainly not convinced that we're telling the truth.</p><p>"The children tell me you wanta sponsor them in a race. You can't afford parts. How can you do this? Not on Republic credits, I think," Watto argues, laughing at the last sentence. I feel a flicker of annoyance. Just because Qui-Gon's not from here, it doesn't mean he doesn't know what he's doing. He's a <em>Jedi</em>.</p><p>I exchange a worried glance with Anakin, silently hoping that Qui-Gon has a plan for how he'll work out this deal, though I have no idea what it could be. I'm sure he knows what he's doing. For now, my brother and I will wait on the side until they've reached an agreement.</p><p>"My ship will be the entry fee," Qui-Gon replies calmly, pulling an object out of his pocket. A hologram of a spaceship appears, hovering over his hand. His ship? I blink in surprise. Is he, like, serious? That means if Anakin loses... they won't even have the ship to get off the planet. The realization sends a surge of nervousness and dread through me. Whatever happens, we have to make it. We can't be the reason they fail their mission.</p><p>"Not bad, not bad. A Nubian," Watto observes, sounding pleased. He inspects the hologram with a critical eye.</p><p>"It's in good order, except for the parts we need," Qui-Gon adds.</p><p>"But what would they ride?" he counters, "The boy smashed up my Pod in the last race. It will take some time to fix it." I mentally groan, barely managing to stop myself from facepalming. Of course, he had to mention that in front of Qui-Gon. At least it wasn't <em>me</em> who crashed, but that hardly makes me feel better about it.</p><p>"It wasn't my fault really," Anakin argues hastily, stepping forwards. He doesn't seem any more appreciative of our new friends hearing about his dismal record in pod racing than I am. "Sebulba flashed me with his vent ports. I actually saved the Pod. Mostly."</p><p>Watto laughs. "That you did." He turns his attention back to the Jedi. "They're good, no doubts there."</p><p>"I have acquired a Pod in a game of chance. The fastest ever built," Qui-Gon says, returning to the original conversation.</p><p>"I hope you didn't kill anyone I know for it." Watto chuckles again. I carefully take note of the fact that he's laughing. Maybe he's in a good mood. That would be a good thing. At least he might agree this way. "So, you supply the Pod and the entry fee; I supply the boy. We split the winnings fifty-fifty, I think."</p><p>"Fifty-fifty? If it's going to be fifty-fifty, I suggest you front the cash for the entry. If we win, you keep all the winnings, minus the cost of the parts I need. If we lose, you keep my ship," Qui-Gon retorts calmly.</p><p>My heart ships a beat, and I exchange a nervous glance with my brother at the mention of the situation again. It's more serious than I thought when we agreed to do the race. If Anakin can't win, our friends will be in serious trouble, probably stuck here for the indefinite future. We've never even finished a race before – thanks to Sebulba – and I don't know how we could do it now. Anakin's always been far better than me, and I can only hope he can manage this. He's capable, it's just... I don't know if it will really happen.</p><p>"Either way, you win," Qui-Gon urges as Watto ponders the counteroffer.</p><p>"Deal!" he decides before switching to Huttese and turning to us. "Your friend is a foolish one, methinks." Neither of us say anything. I have full faith Qui-Gon knows what he's doing, even if it doesn't make any sense to me. I can only hope this works out.</p><p>After Qui-Gon leaves the shop, Watto sends us out to the junkyard for our daily chores. He hovers around watching us for a minute before heading back inside.</p><p>"We have to do this, but I don't know how," I murmur, biting my lip. "Or if we can." We never have before. Yes, there's always a first, but still, I can't help but be worried.</p><p>"Of course, we can," Anakin replies, trying to sound convincing, but I can tell he's worried too. I know exactly how nervous he is.</p><p>"We never have before, that's all," I point out, sighing softly.</p><p>"Sebulba's fault," Anakin retorts. "We can make it." I can sense a hint of doubt mixed with determination. We can't let our friends down, whatever happens. They need to get out of here, and we have to win that race. I slowly let out a deep breath. If a Jedi has faith that we can do it, I suppose I should to.</p><p>It's starting to make sense now, that light we felt coming. I can't crush the hope I have that maybe, just maybe this will be the day we've waited for so long. The day we find our freedom.</p><p>My brother and I stand alongside our Pod in the backyard where we've been keeping it hidden safely out of sight for the past two years. Padme, Jaufre, Jar Jar, and Artoo stand nearby, watching us as we work and helping occasionally when they find a chance. I'm practically buzzing with excitement. Once we're done, which will be soon, since we only need to make a few more adjustments and connect a couple other wires, we'll be able to test it. I can't wait to see it in motion.</p><p>Four figures suddenly run into view, although I've been expecting them for a while now. The first is our best friend, Kitster, a black-haired boy who's about our age. Then there's Seek, another boy our age, and Amee, a six-year-old girl. I don't have a great liking for either of them, but I'll tolerate their presences since they're friends with our best friend. The fourth is another six-year-old named Wald, although he's not human. Still, despite the species and age differences, we're fairly close friends.</p><p>"Hi!" I call, happy to see them again. We haven't seen them for a few days now.</p><p>"Padme, Jaufre, and Jar Jar," my brother introduces, motioning to each in turn. Then, he turns to the three of them, "This is our friend Kitster, and Seek, Amee, and Wald."</p><p>"Wow, a real Astro Droid!" exclaims Kitster interestedly, running over to us, "How'd you get so lucky?"</p><p>"This isn't even half of it," I reply with a grin.</p><p>"We're entering in the Boonta Race tomorrow!" Anakin adds proudly.</p><p>"What? With this?" exclaims Kitster, greatly surprised.</p><p>"You are such a joke, Ani," Wald interjects. I roll my eyes. Of course. Leave it to the three of them to run in and try to dampen our excitement. They're just jealous that we can do things like this, and they can't. Silly. If they were nicer about it, maybe we'd be willing to teach them.</p><p>"You've been working on that thing for years. It's never going to run," Amee declares, eyeing the Pod.</p><p>"Oh, we'll see about that," I retort, turning away from them to help Anakin. This is why I always care more about having family, not friends. Friends can be jealous, and things can tear them apart. Family is something different altogether. We love each other and hold on to each other no matter what happens. I attach the last few wires, double checking to ensure they're secure.</p><p>"Come on, let's go play ball," Seek calls to Amee and Wald before looking at me and Anakin again, "Keep it up, Ani, and you're both gonna be bug squash." The three run off, laughing. Anakin completely ignores them the entire time. He's clearly capable of dealing with them far better, or at least not showing how their attitude bothers him. Well, we'll see tomorrow who's right. We'll prove them wrong. This is going to work, and we <em>will</em> win.</p><p>"Hey! Jar Jar! Stay away from those energy binders," commands Anakin, snapping me out of my reverie. I look up to see Jar Jar fiddling around with one of the energy binders and sigh. I was more than right when I concluded that he's always getting in trouble.</p><p>"Who, mesa?" he asks, sounding completely confused. Is he really asking that? Does he think there's someone else here named Jar Jar that Anakin might be talking to?</p><p>"If your hand gets caught in that beam, it will go numb for hours," warns Anakin. "Believe me, I know." Oh, don't we both? I've gotten myself hurt from stupid accidents all the time, even more than Anakin has. I remember the time that happened to Anakin. He was panicking, but Mom assured him that he'd be fine. He was.</p><p>To my horror, Jar Jar pulls his hands back and instead sticks his <em>head</em> down there. What, does he think the only part of his body that could be hurt is his hands? "Seriously, be careful!" I exclaim, ready to dash over and <em>drag</em> him away from there before he hurts himself seriously. What is he even thinking? Has he ever had any experience with machines? It certainly doesn't look like it.</p><p>Suddenly, there's an electronic sound as electricity shoots between the binders. Jar Jar leaps backwards, hastily scurrying away from the pod with his tongue dangling out. "Ouch-dats muy bigo oucho," he cries, mumbling a series of sounds that sounds like total gibberish.</p><p>"Next time listen when we warn you to avoid energy binders," I suggest with a sigh, turning back to the Pod. It seems the Gungan has no sense of danger at all.</p><p>"You're really gonna use this in the podrace?" Kitster inquires of us, looking it over. There's honest concern in his voice. "You don't even know if this thing will run."</p><p>"It will," Anakin insists.</p><p>"We've been designing it and slowly building it for years. How couldn't we have caught all mistakes in it by now?" I reply. I hear approaching footsteps and turn to see Qui-Gon heading towards us. I expect he's been watching us most of the time, considering when he arrived. He walks over to Anakin, passing him a battery for the Pod.</p><p>"I think it's time we find out," the Jedi decides, "Use this power charge."</p><p>"Sure," Anakin replies, climbing into the pod. We all back away as my brother prepares to fire the engines, except Jar Jar, who somehow has gotten his hand caught inside the engine. Why is he always incapable of staying away from trouble, anyway? Padme pulls the Gungan back a split second before the engine roars to life.</p><p>A squeal of sheer delight escapes me. Our years of hard work have finally paid off. This is the first thing worth speaking of that we've built, other than Threepio. And this... I don't know for certain whether we'll win the race, but I can't take time to worry about it right now. I'm just glad that the pod is working.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 4 - Midnight Excursions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Aniya has a vision... :P</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p>
<p>"I guess I don't hate this planet all the way around after all," Jaufre remarks, his gaze riveted on the setting suns. One is blood red while the other is bright white as they cast their final glows across the planet. The pink and orange colors of the sunset lighten the sky, though the familiar dark blue shadow slowly approaches from the opposite horizon.</p>
<p>"The sunsets or sunrises are the only things here I find to appreciate," I inform him as a faint breeze blows through my sandy-blond curls. I push a few stray strands back out of my face, looking up at the sky once more.</p>
<p>"Someday, we'll leave this place," Anakin adds with determination, "And when we do, we'll never come back." He wraps an arm around my shoulders, and I move closer to him. Now that evening is coming, the temperature is dropping considerably as it always does. The planet's temperature is crazy. In the day, it's unbearably hot, and at night, it's quite cool.</p>
<p>"Just for curiosity's sake, does it ever rain here? It looks like a completely bone-dry place," Jaufre remarks.</p>
<p>"Because it <em>is</em>," replies Anakin emphatically.</p>
<p>"The only water on the planet is under the surface," I inform the siblings, slipping an arm around my twin and pulling him closer as I rest my head on his shoulder.</p>
<p>"No wonder you hate this place," Jaufre sighs, "If I was on a planet with no water for longer than a few days, I'd go insane."</p>
<p>Peaceful silence settles over us as we watch the suns slowly sink behind the horizon, their last gold rays disappearing from sight. The sight is calming, and for some reason, as I watch, I get the feeling it's something I won't see again. At least not for an exceedingly long time. Weird. Why do I keep getting these strange sensations?</p>
<p>I glance at Anakin. His expression mirrors mine. <em>I don't know the answer to that.</em> The words aren't said aloud, but they don't need to be. We hear each other's thoughts all the time, constantly communicating mentally even subconsciously. I don't understand it, but Mom says twins generally have a much closer bond than normal siblings, and ours, in particular, is especially strong.</p>
<p>"Come on, let's go pick up our tools out back," advises Anakin.</p>
<p>"We'll head inside for the night," Padme declares, rising to her feet, "You should soon too. There's a long day ahead for everyone."</p>
<p>"Night, Ani," Jaufre calls as the two disappear into the house.</p>
<p>"I can't believe they'll probably be leaving tomorrow," I remark as we make our way around the house. And then we'll never see them again, more than likely. I feel a sense of sadness at the thought. I don't want them to go.</p>
<p>"I don't believe we're really never going to see them again," Anakin replies as reach where the pod is covered up. The tools still strewn about glint in the moonlight. I'm half tempted to just leave them there, but that's the lazy way of doing things. As I approach one of them, my foot catches on something. A startled squeal escapes me as I fall towards the ground. Anakin grabs my arm, but the suddenness is enough to throw him off balance also, and we crash to the ground in a heap. I yelp again as the sharp end of one of the tools cuts into my arm.</p>
<p>"Ugh," Anakin groans as he pushes himself into a sitting position, "I was hoping we'd make it through <em>just one day </em>without an accident."</p>
<p>"Sorry," I apologize, sitting up and beginning to collect the tools. Probably a good thing Anakin's doing the race tomorrow, or I might have an accident just because I <em>always </em>do. Luckily, my brother isn't even half as clumsy.</p>
<p>We hastily finish collecting them all and head back to the house. "Ani, why are your arms bleeding?" asks Mom exasperatedly as we come out of our bedroom again. I glance down at mine to see a small trickle of blood on it, mostly soaking into the sleeve of my dress. My eyes dart to Anakin's, and I notice his injuries for the first time. Oops.</p>
<p>"A minor accident. It's nothing," I offer hastily.</p>
<p>"I'll take care of it," suggests Qui-Gon, motioning for us to go outside with him.</p>
<p>Now that the suns have set and the sky is completely dark, the magnificent blanket of glittering stars is visible again. Qui-Gon sits down on the balcony, and Anakin and I take seats on either side of him. I mentally reprimand myself for my clumsiness. It seems I'm incessantly hurting both Anakin and myself.</p>
<p>He attends to my scrapes first before moving on to Anakin's. "Sit still, Ani. Let me clean this cut," lectures Qui-Gon as Anakin shifts about to get a better look at the sky. My gaze is riveted on the sky as well.</p>
<p>"There are so many!" he exclaims, "Do they all have a system of planets?"</p>
<p>"Most of them," the Jedi answers.</p>
<p>"Has anyone been to them all?" I inquire curiously.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon chuckles as he glances up at the sky. "Not likely."</p>
<p>Anakin speaks again. "I want to be the first to see them all – Ouch!" Qui-Gon wipes some blood off his arm, as he finally finishes tending to the wound.</p>
<p>"There. Good as new."</p>
<p>"Ani, bedtime!" calls Mom as she walks past the doorway. Already? I don't want to go to bed. Not yet. Padme and Jaufre have already gone to sleep, but still, I'm too excited to be tired.</p>
<p>I watch with interest as Qui-Gon puts some of our blood on separate chips.</p>
<p>"What are you doing?" we chorus curiously, glancing briefly at each other at the in-sync question. It's a common occurrence with us.</p>
<p>"Checking your blood for infections," he explains.</p>
<p>"... Oh," I mutter, though I get the distinct feeling there's more to the story.</p>
<p>"I've never seen –" Anakin begins but is cut off as Mom walks past the door to the hut.</p>
<p>"Ani! I'm not going to tell you again!" she calls. I hesitate for a moment, really not wanting to go in yet.</p>
<p>"Go on," urges Qui-Gon, "You have a big day tomorrow." Anakin rolls his eyes but jumps up and runs towards the hut. I follow close behind. "Goodnight. Sleep well, Ani," he calls after us as Anakin goes inside, with me a few paces behind.</p>
<p>By the time I arrive outside our bedroom, my brother is perched on the ledge Threepio lays on, with his ear pressed against the window. <em>Uh... </em>"What are you doing?!" I hiss. I don't know how that's called going to bed unless he's trying to sleep on the four-inch wide window ledge.</p>
<p>"Shh!" he hisses, motioning for me to join him. I scurry over and scramble up next to him, curiosity getting the better of me. I inconspicuously peak out the window to see what he's looking at. Qui-Gon is speaking into a commlink in his hand. I lean closer to the window and try to listen also. This conversation might be interesting.</p>
<p>"Obi-Wan, make an analysis of this blood sample I'm sending you," Qui-Gon tells the person on the other end.</p>
<p>"Wait a minute..." a man's voice on the other end replies. I can barely hear him; his voice is so faint. Qui-Gon must be talking to someone back on his ship.</p>
<p>"I need a midi-chlorian count." What's that? Somehow, I don't think that has anything to do with infections. Anakin's expression betrays similar confusion.</p>
<p>"All right. I've got it," replies the person on the other end.</p>
<p>"What are your readings?"</p>
<p>"Something must be wrong with the transmission," the voice insists.</p>
<p>"Here's a signal check."</p>
<p>"Strange," states the voice, "The transmission seems to be in good order, but both readings are off the chart. Over twenty thousand, though the first seems higher than the second."</p>
<p>Qui-Gon murmurs something I don't quite catch.</p>
<p>"Even Master Yoda doesn't have midi-chlorian counts that high!" exclaims the person on the other end, voice rising with disbelief.</p>
<p>"No Jedi has," declares Qui-Gon. Wait, that has something to do with Jedi? Ugh, there's something going on that I don't understand, and I hate it.</p>
<p>"What does it mean?"</p>
<p>"I'm not sure." Just then, we hear footsteps from the main room of the hut. Hopefully, Mom's not coming to check on us. Anakin and I jump down soundlessly from the ledge and dash to our beds. I dive under the covers and pretend to be sleeping as she pauses in the doorway.</p>
<p>My mind drifts to the conversation I overheard as I lay there waiting for sleep to come. A million questions float through my mind. What are midi-chlorians? Who was Qui-Gon talking to? Who is Master Yoda? And why is he called 'master'...? Shaking the questions aside,I reach one undeniable conclusion: We're missing something <em>huge</em>. Hopefully, I'll get an answer to the questions, but for now, I need to sleep so I'm ready for the race tomorrow.</p>
<p>I roll over, trying to doze off. For some reason, I simply can't calm my mind enough to drift off. It's probably a result of my mixed feelings: excitement and anxiety over the pod race tomorrow, and sadness over the imminent departure of our friends. The first Jedi I've ever known will be leaving, and we'll probably never see one again. I'm still clinging to the hope, however unlikely it may be, that Qui-Gon will find a way to free us, but I can't see it happening. They don't even have money for the parts they need, much less for freeing slaves.</p>
<p>I shift again, my eyes flicking to where Anakin is sleeping peacefully across the room, his blonde hair falling across his face. The only sound in the room is his even breathing, and the rest of the house is quiet as well. Everyone is sleeping except me. Wait No.</p>
<p>The faintest, softest sound catches my attention, cutting through the silence. Whispers reach my straining ears, and though I can't make out any syllables, I think it might be Jaufre. What's he doing awake? I thought he went to bed an hour ago!</p>
<p>Curiosity gets the better of me, and I slip out of bed silently, pushing back my blanket. I creep over to the doorway, carefully peeking out. I don't see anything. I jump backwards into the room and away from the doorway as I hear the soft sound of the front door sliding open. What in the galaxy is he thinking going outside at this time of night?</p>
<p>The front door closes again. He must have gone outside for a reason, and I doubt he went alone. Is he having the same trouble falling asleep as I am? I tiptoe over to the window again, cautiously peeking out. Two silhouettes stand out against the moonlight. Jaufre and Padme are facing each other, talking quietly. It's hard to hear what they're saying since they're clearly attempting to be quiet, but I can make out a few stray phrases. It's probably a good thing they're standing so close to the hut or I wouldn't be able to hear anything.</p>
<p>"... we can only have faith he'll be able to win the race," Jaufre is saying.</p>
<p>"I still question putting our hopes on people we hardly know," Padme murmurs.</p>
<p>"They're skilled, even if they're young," her brother replies, "I'm sure they wouldn't have suggested it if they couldn't do it. They don't know what's at stake, but they do have some sense of the seriousness of our situation. Besides, we don't have any other options."</p>
<p>Padme's response is too quiet to hear. I'm grateful for Jaufre for having faith in us, even though Padme doesn't. I wish I knew what was going on. I understand why they don't want to tell us, but that doesn't mean it isn't bothering me.</p>
<p>"Look, I don't like it either," Jaufre replies, his voice rising slightly, "But Qui-Gon is a Jedi, and I very much doubt he would do something that seems so reckless unless he had a good reason for it. Jedi know... <em>things</em> sometimes."</p>
<p>"We better get back to bed. If everything goes right and we leave tomorrow, who knows what we could be facing," Padme sighs, turning and stepping back towards the front door. I hear it slide open again, muffled footsteps entering the hunt.</p>
<p>I quietly step down from the window ledge, intending to go back to bed, but instead step over to the door when I hear Jaufre speaking quietly in the main room. "Have we had any contact from Naboo?"</p>
<p>"There have been a few more attempts at making a transmission," Qui-Gon answers.</p>
<p>"They're trying to find us," Padme concludes. Who's trying to find them? Who or what are they hiding from?</p>
<p>I hear a soft sigh from the next room. "Aniya, I know your listening," Qui-Gon scolds gently, walking towards the doorway. I jump backwards with a yelp. How did he even notice me? I wasn't in plain sight, was I? "You don't always need to be in plain sight to be seen," the Jedi informs me, with a semi-amused expression as he stops in front of me. "You were supposed to be sleeping."</p>
<p>"And I don't always do what I'm supposed to," I reply, feeling incredibly abashed.</p>
<p>"You need to rest, Aniya," he says, picking me up and carrying me over to my bed before setting me down on it. "Tomorrow won't be an easy day for you." I nod obediently, biting my lip at the sudden surge of emotion overwhelming me. He's every bit the father I never knew, but always wanted to have.</p>
<p>I pull up the blanket and curl up, suddenly feeling tired again. "Rest," Qui-Gon murmurs, and I nod sleepily in response. When I close my eyes, sleep comes, though it's not undisturbed.</p>
<p>The darkness around me coalesces into a building. The area has narrow walkways, certainly not a place for any human to be. Blinking, I realize that it's not quite a dream, but close enough. It's certainly not happening anyways. Ahead of me, I spot Qui-Gon. He's fighting someone – a black robed figure. It's a strange species I don't recognize, but the man's face is striped with red and black. He's wielding a double-bladed red lightsaber – something I hadn't even realized existed until right now.</p>
<p>The dark robed figure is retreating down the walkway as Qui-Gon continuously attacks him with his green lightsaber. As they keep fighting, they move towards a hall that is blocked by – are those laser walls? All at once, the laser beams begin to deactivate, and the duo continue fighting into the hall.</p>
<p>Just then, further down the walkway another Jedi holding a blue lightsaber runs into view. He's dressed similar to Qui-Gon, but his clothes are lighter. I'm completely in awe at the duel progressing before me. The speed and skill both combatants are displaying seems otherworldly. The laser walls suddenly begin activating again, forming a barrier between Qui-Gon and the creature. The other Jedi skids to a halt at the very edge of the laser walls. Seconds later, they deactivate again, and the fight resumes.</p>
<p>The other Jedi races down the hall towards Qui-Gon and the creature as they continue dueling in a room with a large pit in the center. For a reason I can't explain, I have a very bad feeling about the situation. The laser walls begin activating again, blocking the other Jedi. There's only one barrier between him and the other combatants.</p>
<p>I know nothing about lightsaber combat, but I can tell that Qui-Gon is tiring. The dark robed figure is steadily pushing him back, rapidly going on the offensive. Their blades are a whir of red and green as they lunge and block and parry. In a sudden, swift move, the creature manages to knock Qui-Gon's lightsaber from his hands before the red blade pierces through his chest.</p>
<p>A cry of utter horror escapes me as the vision dissipates into nothingness, and I sit bolt upright, nearly crashing into my brother as he hovers over me.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. 5 - Pod Races</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Author's Note: We originally wrote the pod race with Aniya in the pod with Anakin, but we edited her out later since I honestly think that would be against the rules. We also considered having her race in a separate pod but I'm sure that's also not allowed.</p><p>Anyway, if you have any suggestions on how you might like things to go in the future, feel free to give them. We might be able to incorporate them into what we already have planned for future books. :)</p><p>~ Tirana Sorki</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I blink sleepily, opening my eyes as someone brushes my cheek. Padme is standing next to me, Jaufre right behind her. "You were in my dreams," I murmur, sitting up slowly. The images flicker through my mind again. It's surprisingly vivid; it doesn't disappear or fade rapidly like most dreams do. I remember the battle and war clearly, raging throughout the area. Padme was in the lead, shouting commands to everyone. "You were leading a huge army into battle. Jaufre was there, too."</p><p>"I hope not. I hate fighting," sighs Padme, "Your mother wants you two to come in and clean up."</p><p>"We have to leave soon," Jaufre reminds. I notice a flicker of concern in his expression when he hears my dream, but I don't understand why. They're clearly anxious to get moving, likely because of whatever important mission they're on. I rub my eyes, frowning when I realize that I'm getting weird vibes of fear and apprehension, which I know are not coming from me. I'm <em>not</em> scared. I don't have a reason to be.</p><p>I stand up and stretch when a sudden sound catches my attention. My eyes flicker to the still-sleeping form of Aniya on the other side of the room. A quiet groan escapes her. "No..." she whispers quietly, sounding nearly panicked.</p><p>"Aniya?" I call her gently. <em>She must be having a nightmare.</em> They can get really bad sometimes. A life like this on a very unpredictable planet tends to do that to a person. She doesn't respond but instead starts thrashing around. "Aniya!" I call louder, running to her bed and shaking her shoulder.</p><p>Suddenly her eyes fly wide open and she sits up, looking around in alarm. She breathes a sigh of relief before throwing her arms around me, burying her head in my shoulder. I hug her back tightly, holding her for a long moment before speaking. "Having a nightmare?" I inquire, hesitantly. Whatever she saw was clearly worse than normal from how much she's shaking.</p><p>She nods, her grip tightening, almost to the point of bruising. "There was this horned human-like <em>thing</em>… it was fighting Qui-Gon and someone else… and it killed him…" she chokes out.</p><p><em>Killed him?!</em> My blood runs cold at the very thought. No, that – that <em>can't</em> happen. I want to tell her everything will be fine, but the surge of fear is too overwhelming. Qui-Gon can't die. He's a Jedi! He's good and brave and –</p><p>"Don't worry, Ani," Jaufre assures, managing to snap us out of our growing panic. "We're all here now, and everything's fine. You need to hurry and get ready for the pod race.</p><p>"The pod race! I nearly forgot!" cries Aniya, letting go of me and leaping out of bed so fast she nearly knocks me over.</p><p>"We won't be long," I inform Jaufre, simultaneously catching my sister without even looking. "Where's Qui-Gon?"</p><p>"He and Jar Jar left already. They're with Watto in the arena," Padme replies.</p><p>**w**</p><p>It feels like years pass before the arena comes into view. People of many species are milling about preparing for the race. Probably close to a dozen pods will be racing. Padme and Jaufre took one of the eopies – a species that lives here on Tatooine which are used mostly for working and carrying things – which is dragging one of the engines. Kitster, Aniya, and I ride on the other with the second engine. Mom rides in the pod, which is being pulled along by Artoo.</p><p>As we enter, I spot Watto and Qui-Gon conversing with each other, Jar Jar standing nearby. Aniya relaxes visibly at the sight of him, but she's clearly still worried. So am I, but I do my best to banish the worry from mind. I won't be able to win if I can't concentrate properly. Admittedly, I'm somewhat nervous, though for the most part, all I feel is determination.</p><p>"Better stop your friend's betting, or I'll end up owning him, too," Watto calls to us as he flies away laughing.</p><p>Wait, what? What is Qui-Gon <em>doing</em>? "What did he mean by that?" I demand, confused, worry seeping back into me.</p><p>"I'll tell you later," he assures us.</p><p>"Okay, fine," Aniya says, trying to sound cheerful although she's clearly just nervous as I am about everything right now.</p><p><em>Try to stay calm. You know you're going to distract me if you keep worrying.</em> I think the thought towards her, falling back into our familiar pattern of silent communication which involves mental words as much as glances and gestures.</p><p><em>I'm </em>trying<em>.</em> And she is. I can feel it, but still, it's not enough.</p><p>
  <em>Try harder.</em>
</p><p>"This is so wizard!" Kitster calls to me and my sister, "I'm sure you'll do it this time, Ani."</p><p>"Do what?" frowns Padme. Oh, great. He just had to bring that to her attention, didn't he? I was hoping no one would find out because I don't want to make everyone worry.</p><p>"Finish the race, of course!" I shoot my best friend a betrayed look. He didn't need to spill the beans, but then again, he doesn't really understand the situation we're in.</p><p>"What?!" exclaims Jaufre, giving me a surprised look.</p><p>"You've never won a race?" Padme asks incredulously.</p><p>"Well… not exactly…" I trail off, nearly squirming.</p><p>"No," mumbles Aniya, avoiding her gaze.</p><p>"Not even finished?!"</p><p>"But…." Jaufre trails off, exchanging a worried glance with his sister. Yes, this is why I didn't want anyone to know.</p><p>"We will!" Aniya insists with sudden determination, looking up, "We've built the pod for speed. It can take anything Sebulba throws at us this time."</p><p>"Right. We will this time," I assert firmly.</p><p>"Of course, you will," agrees Qui-Gon. I smile, grateful to finally have someone who has faith in us and our abilities. Almost more than we do ourselves. I <em>can </em>and <em>will</em> do it this time.</p><p>As all the racers begin preparing their Pods, the announcer, a strange two-headed creature, starts describing the scene to everyone.</p><p>"Greetings. We have perfect weather today for the Boonta classic. The most hazardous of all Pod Races," announces the first head. Well, it's certainly the most exciting, but I suppose, it's also the hardest.</p><p>"That's absolutely right. And a big turnout here, from all corners of the Outer Rim territories. I see the contestants are making their way out onto the starting grid," adds the second head.</p><p>"Yes, there they are!" calls the first head as all the Pods are brought into their proper starting places.</p><p>"I see Ben Quadinaros from the Tund system."</p><p>"And Gasgano in the new Ord Pedrovia."</p><p>"Two-time winner, Boles Roor…"</p><p>"On the front line the reigning champion, Sebulba from Pixelito. By far the favorite today."</p><p>"And a late entry, Anakin Skywalker, a local child," adds the second. I smile at hearing my name mentioned. Even though neither of us have ever won, Aniya and I do have a lot of publicity in the racing news for being the only humans who can race, and for being so young.</p><p>"I hope he has better luck this time," continues the second head.</p><p>"Thanks," smiles Aniya cheerfully, "We could use some wishes of luck right now."</p><p>The creature continues its proclamations, and then I spot Jabba the Hutt entering one of the boxes overlooking the racing arena. A flare of anger rises in me as I see him, but I try not to dwell on it. I cannot afford to be distracted.</p><p>"His honor, our glorious host, Jabba the Hutt has entered the arena," calls the announcer as Jabba waves to the crowd.</p><p>Sebulba, who, unfortunately for us, is right nearby, stands up and waves at the crowd. <em>Well, he won't win this time.</em></p><p>As Kitster attaches the engines, Mom comes over and hugs me.</p><p>"Be safe," she warns worriedly.</p><p>"I will, Mom. I promise," I assure.</p><p>Aniya nudges me. "Good, because I wouldn't like it if you got blown up by making a clumsy move. Those are supposed to be saved for <em>me</em>."</p><p>As Mom leaves, Aniya and I return to checking the pod and making sure it's in proper condition to be operated. I hear Jabba mention my name in his speech which I'm not really paying any attention to, so I stop to wave to the crowd before returning to work.</p><p>"Dis berry loony, Ani," Jar Jar worries to me, "May da guds be kind, mesa palo." The Naberrie siblings walk over to us also. Sebulba is banging on one of our engines, probably trying to get our attention, but I don't even glance his way. If he wants my attention, he'll have to walk over here and get it. There's no time to deal with him right now.</p><p>"You carry all our hopes," Padme reminds us.</p><p>"The only way we'll be able to leave depends on you," adds Jaufre.</p><p>"He'll do his best," Aniya assures them, her calm expression giving slipping and being replaced by worry.</p><p>"I won't let you down," I correct.</p><p>"Also, try to come out of this in one piece, alright?" Jaufre adds, a teasing smile on his face, "I'd hate if you died in the first Pod race I ever saw."</p><p>I can't help but grin. "Promise."</p><p>Sebulba, who I was planning to completely ignore, walks over to us upon seeing he isn't getting a reaction. "You won't walk away from this one, slave scum! You're Bantha poodoo," he warns me with an evil grin, "I'll get you both someday."</p><p>"Don't count on it, slime-ball," I retort, giving him a cold stare.</p><p>Aniya gives him a very fake sweet smile. "We'll see." As he walks away, clearly not taking our warnings to heart, Qui-Gon approaches us. My eyes linger on the Dug for a moment, and I get the impression his overconfidence will be his downfall.</p><p>Aniya pulls me into a brief hug before stepping back, watching me anxiously. It's time for me to get ready, so she'll be waiting with the others.</p><p>"Let the challenge begin!" orders Jabba. The crowd breaks out into wild cheers. For most people, this is just fun, but for me, it's so much more. It's a question of whether my friends will be stuck here for eternity or be able to move on with whatever important mission they're involved in.</p><p>Qui-Gon picks me up and sets me down in the pod, and I quickly strap myself in. Now that I'm sitting in the racer, ready to actually run it for the first time, I get a very different feeling than I usually do. It's positive. Normally, I just know we won't be able to make it, but this time…</p><p>"Are you all set, Ani?" he inquires, earning a nod from me. "Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel. Don't think. Trust your instincts." Just as I always try doing when I race.</p><p>I nod again. "I will." I have no doubt if I do as he said, I'll make it to the end. When I look at him, it's not just a friend I see, or just a Jedi I look up to. I see something more, something I've never felt before. I see something like a father figure.</p><p>Qui-Gon smiles, straightening. "May the Force be with you." He strokes my hair lightly and steps back as I pull on my helmet and finish settling in. I push the ignition button, and along with a dozen others across the arena, my Pod engine flares to life.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I glance back at my brother again before following Qui-Gon and Jar Jar over to where Mom, Padme, and Jaufre are waiting. They've found a good vantage point of the race, to be sure. I try not to think and just breathe. The tenseness when Anakin races always get to me, even though I know how thrilling it is. I always have a worry that he's going to get himself killed or seriously injured by his recklessness. Not that I'm any better, I suppose. At least he doesn't walk into things right in front of him all the time, unlike me.</p><p>"Mesa no watch. Dissen gonna be messy," cries Jar Jar as he covers his eyes.</p><p>"The power couplings are being activated," I hear the announcer saying. "Hey, it looks like they're clearing the grid."</p><p>Mom looks nervous – not surprisingly – as we arrive. "Is he nervous?" she asks.</p><p>I shake my head. "He's gonna be okay." He will be if I am, that is. I need to make sure I don't start panicking. With so much to be stressed out about, I'm having a hard time staying calm, but I must if I want to see my brother emerge the victor.</p><p>"He's fine," Qui-Gon affirms.</p><p>Padme frowns. "You Jedi are far too reckless. The queen –"</p><p>Qui-Gon cuts her off. "The Queen trusts my judgement, young handmaiden. You should too."</p><p>Jaufre coughs. "We went over this, Padme. There's no other option right now."</p><p>"You assume too much," she grumbles, her gaze on the Jedi. We walk farther into the box, moving next to the railing over which we can see everything clearly. It begins rising in the air to assume it's normal spot, while I seek out my brother in the crowd. Even from afar, I can see his determination as he grasps the thruster bars.</p><p>"Start your engines," the second head of the announcer commands.</p><p>Across the area, Jabba bites off the head of a frog he's holding, before spitting it out at the gong to signal the start of the race.</p><p>The Pods zoom forwards, swerving around the corner and out of sight. I nearly panic when I see ours halt after traveling only a few feet. No. This can't be happening! It can't – I pause, remembering my promise to my brother. Stay calm. Right, I gotta stay calm.<em> Just breathe. You can do this.</em> My eyes narrow on the stalled pod, as I mentally repeat the words 'you can do this' over and over in my head.</p><p>"And they're off!" declares the first head of the announcer, "Oh wait. Little Skywalker has stalled." Another Pod is still in the arena, and there's clearly something wrong with it as well. That's good for us though. It means one less Anakin has to compete with. He slams the thruster bars forwards again, and this time, the pod shoots forwards with stunning speed.</p><p>"And there goes Skywalker. He'll be hard pressed to catch up with the leaders today," the announcer's second head informs. How comforting.</p><p>Jar Jar waves his fists around in the air in what I assume is a 'go, go, go' gesture. The rest of us gather closer to watch Anakin's progress on a holoscreen. <em>Come on, brother. You can do this.</em></p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I shove on the thruster bars again, glee rushing through me as the Pod races down the track. I can almost hear Aniya's thoughts, despite the rapidly increasing distance between us. 'Come on, brother. You can do this.' Yes, I can. And I will. Today, I'm going to prove that humans can not only pod race, but they can <em>win</em>.</p><p>I race the pod forwards as fast as it can go as I attempt to catch up with all the others. It's a good thing we built it specifically for speed. Thankfully, the beginning of the racetrack proves to be very easy to navigate as the ground is flat. Once towering formations of rock and sand come into view, so do some of the stragglers. I swerve easily around the two in the back. They must not have much experience to let me get around them so easily unless they plainly weren't expecting my rapid approach.</p><p>It's not until I reach the third racer that I run into some resistance. He blocks me before I have a chance to zip past him, cutting me off and preventing me from slipping past him on either side. When I spy a cliff drop ahead, I get a new idea. Just because I'm currently stuck, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop maneuvering myself to the front. I slow my speed, and just as the Pod starts dropping over the edge of the cliff, I slam onto the accelerator. Just as I'd expected, the Pod whizzes forwards, straight over my opponent's head, dropping neatly to the ground in front of him.</p><p>A canyon soon comes into view, and I plunge inside, carefully weaving my way through the turns within the small, dark tunnel. As the Pod shoots out the other end, the racetrack opens out onto a flatland again. Up in the front, I spot another Pod is catching up to Sebulba, who's in the lead. Of course, he resorts to doing what he always does. He cheats. The Dug slams the other Pod off the track into the nearby canyon wall. It explodes into a ball of flames.</p><p>I focus on maneuvering to gain as much ground as possible, wincing when I see another Pod explode, probably from something Sebulba did. It looked similar to what he did to me last time, but at least I didn't fall over a cliff. If he tries it again, I'll see it coming. Hopefully. I can barely tamp down on the surge of anger. How can he treat lives like that? He acts as though the only life that matters is his own! Suddenly, I remember what Qui-Gon said. Focus on the moment. Right, focus. Sebulba is a cheater, and I need to win. I can rant about him later.</p><p>By the time I finally make it through the first lap, the five leading Pods have already started the second lap.</p><p>
  <em>"Keep going, brother. You can do this."</em>
</p><p>I send her a mental "<em>thank you</em>" before continuing onwards.</p><p>Luckily, my Pod was also designed to fit through small spaces. As I arrive at the canyon again, I manage to slip past two more pods. Only four more are in front. So far, considering my late start, I think I'm doing quite well. As I continue gliding along, blaster shots ring out and bolts start bouncing around on the ground near the track. I hastily glance to the side, spying a group of Tusken Raiders hiding in between the rocks. They're holding long rifles.</p><p>They fire a few more times. The luck runs out for one of the other racers. His Pod, which is right in front of me, is hit by a stray bolt. It explodes into flames, and I don't have a chance to avoid them. I duck inactively as I speed forwards diving below the wreckage of the Pod. Using the same opportunity, I swerve past two others, leaving the Tusken Raiders far behind. Now that they're gone, I can turn my focus back to gaining on the other competitors. There's only two more ahead of me, including Sebulba.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 6 - Goodbye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I keep my eyes on Sebulba, looking up in time to see the Dug throw something over his shoulder, straight into the left engine of the pod between us. Flames lick off the engine, and the pod starts wildly swinging before it crashes into mine, ripping off the connection between my pod and its left engine. There's no way that was accidental. Sebulba must have aimed it like that on purpose, with the hopes of destroying us both at the same time. Not happening.</p><p>It was a good trick, but I'm prepared for everything. First, I have to keep myself together. Second, I need to focus on getting ahead. If I reverse the order of priorities, I won't be going anywhere. I scowl as my pod begins swinging wildly, leaving me struggling to keep it under control while picking up the magnetic retriever sitting on the floor. I flip on its power button and hold it out of the pod, where it catches onto the line, which I hastily attach back to the pod before slamming on the thrusters.</p><p>Three other pods have made it past me again. It was a good delay, but it doesn't matter. I <em>must</em> win this race. I can't afford to lose. My hands tighten on the controls, and I slide around the pod directly in front of me. Another pod ahead of me explodes – courtesy of Sebulba, no doubt – and I duck again, instantly grateful for my helmet as I plunge blindly through the cloud of smoke and debris. A large chunk of metal sails over my head, and I maneuver out of the way in time for it to harmlessly hit the ground.</p><p>By the time I zoom past the starting line and begin the third lap, I'm right behind Sebulba again. He tries to start one of my engines on fire, but I see it coming, considering that he's done it twice so far during this race. I instantly swerve, managing to save the pod, but it flies a little too far. It sails into the air as I struggle to regain control when another idea forms in my mind. This is, in fact, the perfect opportunity.</p><p>I speed forwards as fast as I can, and the pod dives back into the canyon right in front of Sebulba. I mentally congratulate myself for the thinking, but the race isn't over yet. Someone should tell that stupid Dug that cheating will be the cause of his own failure sometime.</p><p>Just as I'd expected, he slams forwards angrily, hitting my pod and pushing it forwards to the point that I'm having a hard time keeping control. Just as he intended, one of the engines starts to shake lose. I work frantically, flipping on the auxiliary system, which unfortunately involves many switches. By the time I'm done and sure the pod will hold together, Sebulba has managed to race far ahead of me again.</p><p>Worry threatens to smother me. We're nearly at the end of the race, and I have almost no time left to gain the lead. Well, if I did it before, I can do it again. I shove on the thrusters and speed after. I know it won't be easy, but I have to do it.</p><p>I feign a move to the right, and while he shifts over to cut me off, I slip past on his left. Side by side, we race along the final stretch of the racetrack.</p><p>Sebulba, increasingly angered that I'm easily keeping up with him, starts slamming his pod sideways into mine. The third time they collide, he hits it just right, so the steering rods lock together. I struggle, frantically trying to break it free. Aniya and I built the pod strongly so it'll hold together much better than most, and I can only hope it will stay in one piece now. Even if it does get damaged a little, I need to pull free and get ahead of him.</p><p>I lurch forwards at the last second, and the steering rod snaps off altogether. As the pod spins forwards, I hastily regain control and press forwards. Sebulba isn't as lucky. He completely loses control and both engines explode. I can't deny my satisfaction at his loss. He deserved it for always trying to cheat. Just as I suspected, his constant cheating was his downfall.</p><p>My pod sail onwards, gliding through the smoke and remains of Sebulba's pod. I wave to the cheering crowd as I speed through the finish line for the first time, becoming the youngest being to ever win a Pod Race.</p><p>"It's Skywalker!" announces the two-headed creature.</p><p>Releasing a deep sigh of relief, I pull off my helmet. Aniya bolts towards me immediately, reaching the Pod seconds after Qui-Gon, and at the same time as Mom. Qui-Gon lifts me onto his shoulders, and I wave to the cheering crowd. Today was a good day.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>As the crowd fully disperses, we finally get some time to ourselves. I pull Anakin into a hug. "You did great," I tell him.</p><p>"So did you," he replies, embracing me in return.</p><p>Jar Jar hugs Anakin, then so do Padme and Jaufre. Mom comes over to him last, pulling him into her arms also. "Ah, gee. Enough of this," moans Anakin, the huge amount of attention beginning to make him squirm. I'm glad most of the bystanders are gone now, because it makes me uncomfortable when a large number of people is paying attention to us. It's not that I <em>mind</em>; I'm just not used to it. We've been treated as nothings our whole lives, and suddenly being the center of attention is difficult. Even though Anakin won the race, I got a much of the attention too, because we're twins and always go everywhere with each other.</p><p>"It's so wonderful, Ani. You have brought hope to those who have none. I'm so very proud of you," Mom praises as she hugs him.</p><p>"We owe you everything," Padme speaks up, her gratitude clear.</p><p>"You've saved countless lives," adds Jaufre with a grateful smile.</p><p>"Just feeling this good was worth it," Anakin replies.</p><p>I nod happily in agreement. "It's the best day we've ever had on this planet! And the first time ever we actually won!" I've never felt so satisfied before. This is probably the first time in years Sebulba has been defeated and let alone by a human slave boy. And of course, we were able to help our friends. That knowledge sends my excitement plummeting. They're going to leave now, and we'll probably never see any of them again, unless we go too, which is impossible since we're slaves.</p><p>"Padme. Jaufre, Jar Jar, let's go. We've got to get these parts back to the ship," Qui-Gon calls. They walk over to where he's standing next to the two Eopies which had carried our pod to the arena before the race.</p><p>Qui-Gon and Jaufre climb onto one, while Padme and Jar Jar climb onto the other. "I'll return the eopies by midday," the Jedi calls back to us. Anakin and I wave as the group rides off.</p><p>I feel a tinge of sadness as I watch their receding figures. Who knows if we're ever going to see each other again? And we never really got to say goodbye either. At least we'll see Qui-Gon one more time. I want to go with him, so we can fulfil our dreams of becoming Jedi, but we can't. We're stuck here on this planet, knowing what we're missing.</p><p>Since it's already so late, we don't have any work to do today. Watto told us yesterday that we'd have the rest of the day today to ourselves, which I am happy about. Anakin and I slip away into the crowds to find Kitster and Wald amidst the people still milling about.</p><p>"I knew you could do it!" cries Kitster, running over to us and hugging Anakin. "You built the pod perfectly to withstand something like that," he adds, hugging me also.</p><p>"Well, we were working on it for two years." I shrug it off with a grin.</p><p>"You had us worried for a few minutes, but you made it," our best friend exclaims exuberantly.</p><p>"Did you cheat?" demands a sudden voice, drawing my attention to a figure walking towards us. We all know him too well. Greedo. He seems to have nothing better to do in his life other than go around picking on people. Maybe it's because he's not a slave and sees us a beneath him.</p><p>"What?" my brother demands, turning to face him.</p><p>"You couldn't have won fairly," Greedo insists, "So did you cheat?"</p><p>My anger spikes at the way he's talking to my brother. <em>No one</em> does that. "Who is it that's always destroying other pods right and left?" I throw back at him, knowing that he'll understand. While it's never been confirmed, many people suspect that Sebulba is cheating to be able to win so frequently. "Sebulba lost because of his own cheating. Not Anakin's."</p><p>"Why not let your cheat of a brother defend himself, slave girl?" retorts Greedo.</p><p>Before I can get out an even nastier remark, Anakin steps in front of me, glaring furiously at the Rodian. "Don't talk to my sister like that," he hisses.</p><p>"You're both pathetic cheat excuses for Pod Racers," scoffs Greedo. "It's impossible for a <em>slave</em> to win."</p><p>Anakin lunges forwards so fast I barely even register him moving. His fist slams into the other boy as he tackles him to the ground. I can't deny a measure of satisfaction at first. Just when I'm beginning to think it's getting out of hand, a shadow falls over us, and I look up.</p><p>"What's this?" demands Qui-Gon sharply.</p><p>Uh oh. I did not want him to arrive and see <em>this</em>. "He said we cheated," I explain quietly, suddenly wishing I was anywhere but here.</p><p>"Did you?" he questions as Anakin stands up, stepping back, still glaring at Greedo.</p><p>"No!" we cry, gaping at him for even asking such a question.</p><p>"Do you still think he cheated?" Qui-Gon queries, turning to Greedo.</p><p>"Yes," the Rodian insists stubbornly, instantly receiving a murderous glare from both of us again. <em>Slavers.</em> They look down on everyone. It's sickening.</p><p>"Well, Ani, you know the truth. You will have to tolerate his opinion. Fighting won't change it," Qui-Gon points out before heading off down the street. Anakin and I run after. I know he's right, but that doesn't make me any happier. Even if Greedo did believe it – a fact enough to make me upset in and of itself – that doesn't give him the right to act the way he is. We're sentient beings, deserving of the same rights that he has.</p><p>As we continue walking in silence, Qui-Gon withdraws a handful of credits and passes them to Anakin, who's standing right beside him. "These are yours. We sold the pod," he relates, earning squeals from both of us. I've rarely seen that much money before, at least not for us.</p><p>"Mom, he sold the pod. Look at all the money we have!" cries Anakin, spying out house up ahead and running inside with me one step behind him. Qui-Gon follows a few paces after us. Mom is working off to the side in the main room, and she looks up as soon as we enter.</p><p>"Oh, my goodness. That's wonderful, Ani!" exclaims Mom as she takes the credits from us.</p><p>"And they have been freed." Qui-Gon's voice comes from the doorway.</p><p>"What?!" Anakin and I exclaim, spinning around. For a moment, I'm not fully convinced I heard him right. After so many years of wanting to hear those words, I can't believe they were just said. He's – he's serious, right?</p><p>"You're no longer slaves," he repeats with a smile.</p><p>I gape at him, frozen to the spot. I can't fully make sense of what he's saying. This is the best day in my life. It probably always will be.</p><p>"Do you hear that Mom?" cries Anakin, whirling around to face her again.</p><p>"Now you can make your dreams come true, Ani. You're free," Mom says softly. I turn around to face her, completely ecstatic, still in shock, and more than a little confused at how this happened so suddenly. Mom looks past us to Qui-Gon. "Will you take them with you? Are they to become Jedi?"</p><p>"Yes," he utters simply with a nod, "Our meeting was not a coincidence. Nothing happens by accident."</p><p>"You mean we can go with you?" I exclaim, excitement skyrocketing by the moment. I can't believe our lifelong dream finally lies before us, right within our grasp. There's nothing I want more than to continue on this path.</p><p>"On your starship?" asks Anakin excitedly.</p><p>"Anakin, Aniya," says Qui-Gon seriously as he kneels in front of us, "Training as a Jedi is not an easy challenge. And even if you succeed, it's not an easy life."</p><p>"But it's the life we want," I declare firmly, already certain of our choice. If we had the choice of leaving, why would we ever choose to stay here on Tatooine? I hate the planet and the memories it brings. I want to leave my past behind and forget it all. Having no remembrance of this place would be pure bliss. Finally, we wouldn't have to be shunned by everyone. We can finally do what we always dreamed of: helping others.</p><p>"It's what we've always dreamed of," Anakin argues, echoing my thoughts, then looks back at Mom. "Can we go, Mom?"</p><p>"This path has been placed for you both. The choice is yours alone," she replies, giving us a gentle smile.</p><p>I know the answer already, but Anakin pauses for a moment before deciding. "I want to do it!"</p><p>"I'll come, of course," I agree immediately. We always go everywhere together, and that will never change no matter what happens.</p><p>"Then pack your things. We haven't much time," Qui-Gon orders.</p><p>I nod as we bolt for our room. Anakin skids to a stop right in front of the doorway. It so sudden and unexpected that I slam right into him, nearly knocking him over. "Sorry," I grumble instinctively, annoyed and a little confused as to why he suddenly stopped. Instead of looking at me, though, he's staring past me back at the others.</p><p>"What about Mom?" he questions slowly.</p><p>I freeze. I hadn't even thought about that. I assumed she was coming, but now I realize that no one ever mentioned anything about her being free also. Just us. "Is she free too?" I probe carefully, suddenly wary of the answer.</p><p>"I tried to free your mother, Ani, but Watto wouldn't have it," Qui-Gon states simply. I suddenly feel unsteady and rest a hand against the wall, eyes darting between the two as the realization starts sinking in.</p><p>"You're coming with us, aren't you Mom?" Anakin asks, slowly walking back over to her. He's in just as much denial as I am. I stumble over to her, standing next to my brother. How could we have to leave her behind on this planet?</p><p>"Children, my place is here. My future is here," she replies with a tinge of sadness in her voice. "It is time for you to let go." <em>Let go?</em> Of one of the only two people I know and love? How could we do that? Tears sting my eyes as I stare at her, shaking my head in denial. I can't just leave her.</p><p>"I don't want things to change," protests Anakin.</p><p>"You can't stop change any more than you can stop the suns from setting," she answers softly. I blink back tears, only managing to stop myself from crying though sheer determination alone. At least the true meaning has yet to sink in. "I love you both," says Mom, pulling us into a hug. We return it immediately, clinging onto her tightly, not wanting to let go for a long time, but all too soon she lets go of us. "Now, hurry," she commands, pushing us towards our bedroom.</p><p>We sprint from the room, both silently bearing the knowledge that this is the last time we'll ever go in there. Not that I mind. I'll be glad to leave it behind along with everything here. There are too many memories. If we're going to become Jedi, I want to start anew. I want to let the past go. Let it die. Other than Mom, the only people I'll ever miss are Kitster and Wald. Threepio, too. He certainly deserves a goodbye and a warning we'll probably never see each other again. As I walk past, I hit the on button.</p><p>"Oh! Oh my," exclaims Threepio, looking around, "Hello Mistress Aniya. Hello, Master Anakin."</p><p>"Well, Threepio, we're free," I inform him happily as we start gathering our few necessary belongings.</p><p>"We're going away on a starship," Anakin adds, stuffing a few random pieces of clothing into a bag.</p><p>"Oh, Master Anakin and Mistress Aniya, you are my makers, and I wish you well. However, I should prefer it if I were a little more completed," he decides in his robotic voice. Of course. He only cares because Artoo brought it up. Those two droids struck up an instant friendship. I'm going to miss him. A lot.</p><p>"I sorry I wasn't able to finish you, Threepio," Anakin apologizes, glancing up at him, "Give you coverings and all."</p><p>"We're both gonna miss working on you," I admit, giving him a half-smile after stuffing the remainder of my things into my bag. I love building things, and it's even better if they're droids which can actually talk and somewhat have a mind.</p><p>"You've been a great pal," Anakin tell him. "I'll make sure Mom doesn't sell you or anything."</p><p>"I doubt she will, since you're the only thing left from us she has," I murmur sadly as we walk towards the door.</p><p>"Sell me?" he queries in concern.</p><p>"Bye," we call and wave to him before hurrying out of the room. I don't have the heart to turn him off before leaving. This will be the last time we see him moving, and I find myself having a reluctance to stop it.</p><p>"Oh my!" cries the droid as we walk away.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. 7 - Narrow Escape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>Time to go. We just need to hurry and finish our goodbyes to everyone. Luckily, our best friend is right outside our house. He probably followed us here after Wald and Greedo left. Since I don't see Wald here, I assume he went off to play with some of his other friends.</p><p>"Kitster!" I call, hurrying over to him.</p><p>"What's up?" he asks, turning to us.</p><p>"We're leaving," Anakin relates, coming to a stop a few feet away from him. "We've been freed, and we're gonna leave Tatooine to become Jedi."</p><p>"That's awesome," Kitster exclaims, eyes widening in awe, "We're going to miss you. You're heroes."</p><p>I knew he would say that, and I have a harder time than I care to admit letting him go and saying goodbye. I already made peace with the fact we won't see him again but seeing his reaction won't make it easy. "We have to go," I murmur.</p><p>"Here," Anakin adds, pulling a handful of coins out of his pocket, "Take these." He passes then to our friend.</p><p>"There are so many who will want you to stay, Ani," Kitster tells us.</p><p>"We –" Anakin glances back at our house, "We have to go."</p><p>"Well… thanks for every moment you've been here. You're my best friends," Kitster murmurs.</p><p>"We won't forget," Anakin promises.</p><p>I nod, giving him a sad smile. "We'll miss you. Tell Wald goodbye for us."</p><p>"I will," he assures us as we turn to follow Qui-Gon. I watch our best friend disappear between the houses, but it's not leaving him that hurts the worst. As we approach the exit to the area, I struggle to keep my gaze straight ahead. We have to go, but the conflict inside is tearing me apart. I can't just leave her. She's our mother. It's unfair for us to leave her here on a planet like this, for her to just be cut out of our lives, forever.</p><p>Anakin pauses, looking back. I follow his gaze no matter how hard I try to stop myself. Mom stands alone at the doorway of our house. Tears fill my eyes as I stare back at her. Qui-Gon stops walking, clearly understanding the emotional turmoil we're experiencing.</p><p>Finally, Anakin runs back to our mother. I follow, stopping right in front of her. She kneels in front of us, pulling us into another hug. "I can't do it, Mom. I just can't," my brother chokes out. I don't say anything and just holds her tighter. We can't leave here forever. If we go, we'll never come back.</p><p>After a long moment of silence, both my twin and I ask the question we want to know the most but also dread hearing the answer to. "Will we ever see you again?"</p><p>"What does your heart tell you?" she asks softly.</p><p>I wish I could answer that. I have no idea. Everything inside me wants the answer to be a yes, but at the same time, I can't be sure. Logically, I'm not even sure it's possible, but… "I don't know," I manage to say.</p><p>"I hope so," Anakin murmurs, pausing for a moment, "Yes, I guess." At least he's certain, unlike me. I reach outward, uncertain of what I'm doing. I just want an answer, a reassurance this goodbye won't be forever. I feel a faint positive sensation.</p><p>"I… I think so," I concur quietly, voice shaking.</p><p>"Then we will see each other again," Mom replies, a sad smile on her face.</p><p>Maybe. Hopefully. We have to, or – or I don't know what I'd do if we didn't. I can't believe this, that I'm really about to leave one of the only people I love. But there's still one thing I have to be sure of first. "Will you be alright?"</p><p>"I'll be fine, Aniya."</p><p>"We will come back and free you, Mom. I promise," Anakin says finally, his voice shaking as badly as mine.</p><p>Our mother smiles again. "Now, be brave, and don't look back. Don't look back." She stands up, turning us around to face Qui-Gon who's still patiently waiting for us.</p><p>I blink furiously, trying to push away my tears, as I reach over to take my brother's hand. I can't believe he's really the only one I have left now. Staring straight ahead, I try to stop myself from crying. <em>Don't look back.</em> It's that statement alone that stops me from doing so. I'm determined to fulfill our mother's final request.</p><p>As we approach Qui-Gon, he turns around and starts walking away again with us right behind. Don't. Look. Back. I want to go with him, to stay with the person who's the closest thing to a father we've ever known. I remember my nightmare, and the sensation I get every time I think about it that it was more than just a dream. More like a warning, something that is going to happen. It's happened before. Maybe – maybe I'll at least be able to save <em>him</em>. And as we walk, I feel something else way deep inside. A glimmer of light amidst the storm of darkness encircling me. Maybe we will see our mother again. Someday.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I can't seem to be rid of the pain stabbing through me. Every step I take, it just surges anew, never ending. I try to hold it off, to focus on something else. We can save the breakdowns for later. I can't let myself think about what this means. We just need to go – to get out of here. I can't believe Mom is <em>gone</em>, well, not gone but left behind. Aniya's all I have left now.</p><p>As we walk through the streets of Mos Espa for the last time, we pause at Jira's to say goodbye. I hope she'll be alright when we leave, but since we gave her money to buy a cooling unit, she should be fine. I hope.</p><p>As we continue on our way, I realize that being next to Qui-Gon is giving me an odd sense of comfort. Whatever happens, I want to stay with him now. Being near him helps soothe me.</p><p>Suddenly, movement catches my eye. I look over my shoulder just in time to see a strange looking droid hovering nearby. Qui-Gon pulls out his lightsaber, igniting it in the same motion. The bright green blade slices through the droid, cutting it in half. The pieces fall to the ground.</p><p>"What is it?" I ask, worried, as he starts inspecting the pieces of the destroyed droid. I can almost feel the sudden rise in the tension around us. Somehow, I just <em>know</em> this is a very bad sign.</p><p>"What <em>is</em> that?" Aniya echoes with equal concern.</p><p>"Probe droid. Very unusual," he replies, "Not like anything I've seen before. Come on."</p><p>Then, we take off running across the never-ending sandy stretch. My sister and I struggle to keep up, being half the size and only able to move at half the rate as Qui-Gon. Unfortunately, it's afternoon now, which is the hottest part of the day. Normally, we prefer to be indoors right now, not running around outside. Carrying our not-so-light bags isn't making it any easier. The outskirts, being almost completely uninhabited, are often hotter since there's no shade in any part of the day. I don't mind heat much – I'm so used to it – but right now, it's extreme.</p><p>Finally, I can make out the spacecraft in the distance. I'm already feeling completely exhausted. Aniya suddenly seems strangely tense, and it's interfering with her ability to move quickly.</p><p>"Qui-Gon, sir, wait!" I call, seeing we're falling way too far behind. I hear the sound of a motor nearby but ignore it and keep running, trying to catch up.</p><p>He stops and turns around. "Anakin, Aniya, drop!" he yells, gaze fixed on something behind us.</p><p>The command confuses me, but neither of us question it. We instantly throw ourselves onto the ground, and less than a second after we do, a speeder bike whizzes over us.</p><p>Over the roar of the engine, I can hear the sound of two lightsabers being ignited. The second the cloud of sand begins to settle, Aniya and I scramble to our feet to see Qui-Gon and a black-robed figure – who must've jumped off the speeder bike that just nearly killed us – engaged in a furious lightsaber battle. His blade is red while Qui-Gon's is green, and together they're putting on a spectacular, yet frightening, scene.</p><p>Through the sand swirling around the two figures, the most I can tell is that the creature has a red and black striped face.</p><p>"Get to the ship!" shouts Qui-Gon.</p><p>Just as I'm about to make the final dash to the ship, I realize Aniya seems frozen to the spot, eyes wide with horror as she watches the mysterious figure. I give her a puzzled look. <em>What's wrong?</em> I'm scared too, but we need to hurry! We can't just <em>wait</em>. The newcomer is clearly powerful, Qui-Gon won't be able to hold him off forever.</p><p>"Tell them to take off!" he calls.</p><p>"This is impossible," breaths Aniya, not moving, her obvious fear freezing her to the spot.</p><p>"Come on!" I holler, running for the ship, practically dragging her behind me. There's not time to wait, and I'm not leaving her behind. I'll have to ask her about this later. We've faced frightening experiences before, but she never just <em>freezes</em>. As we race to the ship and up the ramp, I can hear the green and red blades continuing to clash furiously behind us.</p><p>The first person we spot inside the spaceship is Padme. Thankfully. I'm relieved to see her again. The other person standing right inside I don't recognize.</p><p>"Qui-Gon's in trouble. He says to take off. Now!" I command.</p><p>"Who are you?" demands the one I don't recognize.</p><p>"They're friends," replies Padme, hurrying out of hold. Aniya and I dash after, with the stranger following. All four of us enter the cockpit, where Padme quickly repeats our message to the pilot. Jaufre is there, standing next to the pilot's seat, a worried expression etched onto his face. Another person stands near the pilot also. He is wearing tan robes and has ginger hair and blue gray eyes.</p><p>Aniya stumbles to a stop right inside the doorway and stares, looking completely dumbfounded and more than a little worried. Yes, we have to talk about this later. Something is seriously off with her right now.</p><p>"Over there! Fly low," commands the one in tan robes – another Jedi? – pointing out the window. His voice sounds familiar, vaguely reminding me of the person we'd overheard Qui-Gon talking to the other night. It could be him, but that's not my main concern right now. I can't stop staring out the window at the fight, remembering Aniya's nightmare.</p><p>The ship takes off, flying low towards the dueling duo. As soon as we're within range, Qui-Gon leaps onto the ramp, leaving the black robed figure standing there, following the Jedi with his eyes as he escapes. The ship speeds up, and we fly higher into the sky to prevent pursuit. The figure remains standing, watching the ship but I don't stay to see what it – he? – does next. I have to make sure Qui-Gon is alright.</p><p>The brown-robed figure, Aniya, and I all run to the main hold where Qui-Gon is. When we reach it, he's sitting on the floor, trying to catch his breath from the fight. R2-D2 is beside him, beeping in concern. All three of us scramble over to Qui-Gon, kneeling beside him.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Aniya and I ask simultaneously.</p><p>"I think so. It was a surprise I won't soon forget," he replies. We both release a sigh of relief.</p><p>"What was it?" questions the other person. Aniya glances over at him, suddenly looking worried again. Why does the sight of him seem to unnerve her so much? Why is the sight of <em>everyone </em>unnerving her so much right now? What happened? What did I miss?</p><p>"I don't know, but he was well trained in the Jedi arts. My guess is he was after the queen."</p><p>"Do you think he'll follow us?" I query, suddenly apprehensive.</p><p>"We'll be safe enough once we're in hyperspace, but I have no doubts he knows our destination," Qui-Gon answers, half avoiding the question.</p><p>"What are we going to do about it?" Aniya questions.</p><p>"We will be patient," he tells us. "Anakin and Aniya Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi," Qui-Gon introduces, motioning at the other figure. So, just as I thought.</p><p>"Hi," Aniya and I both chorus as we turn to face him. "You're a Jedi too?" I ask, holding my hand out to him in greeting. He accepts it with a nod. "Pleased to meet you!" I exclaim, shaking his hand. Aniya stays quiet, shy as usual at first meeting new people. Or at least presumably that's what why. Something's wrong, though I cannot make sense of what it is. I can feel her apprehension, but I don't know why she's feeling that way.</p><p>Qui-Gon rises to his feet, motioning for us to follow as he heads to the cockpit where the others are still gathered.</p><p>"Let's hope this hyperdrive works and Watto didn't get the last laugh," Qui-Gon comments as the pilot pulls the lever to activate the hyperdrive. I watch with a mixture of feelings as I see the slowly shrinking form of Tatooine disappear completely, fading into a blur of stars streaking past the windows.</p><p>At long last we've put our lives as slaves behind us, but at the same time we've left Mom there all alone for the unknown future. I know it needed to be done, but I can't stop wishing there was another way. I try to shake away those thoughts and focus on now and the future, so I don't end up having another breakdown over it. Yet. I know I will eventually. Just preferably not when everyone's around to see.</p><p>A few minutes after we finally enter hyperspace, a sight I find completely amazing, I manage to drag Aniya off so I can talk to her. Before I can get a single word out, she speaks sounding almost panicked, "I don't know how this is possible."</p><p>"How <em>what's</em> possible?" I ask, confused. That we're not on Tatooine anymore?</p><p>"Uh," she replies, "Obi-Wan and that <em>thing</em> that attacked Qui-Gon were both in my dream last night." I can sense the fear in her voice as she speaks.</p><p>Her dream. I should have realized that's what the problem was. So much had happened since then, it'd almost slipped my mind. It could have been a lifetime ago. It'll be hard to get used to not being on Tatooine or having to worry about Watto. And of course, we'll have to learn to live without Mom. "Are you sure they were there?" I demand, quickly pushing aside thoughts of the past again.</p><p>"Why else would I be freaking out?" she points out.</p><p>"So, it is more than just an ordinary dream," I murmur worriedly. I was afraid of that from the beginning, but this makes me even more concerned. We'd heard Obi-Wan before she had her maybe-vision, but that creature? We didn't even know it existed until it attacked Qui-Gon today.</p><p>She nods. "I was wondering if we should mention it or just wait."</p><p>"I don't know." I'm reluctant to tell them, though I don't understand why. Maybe it's that I don't want them to worry. "Maybe we should wait until we get to Coruscant?" I suggest, "Qui-Gon said we would be safe in hyperspace."</p><p>"Sure," Aniya sighs, her expression still clouded by worry. She's trying to think about something more positive. She doesn't want to imagine Qui-Gon dying any more than I do. He's the closest thing we've ever known to a father our whole lives, and unlike just about everyone else we know, he actually <em>cares</em>. He, after all, is the one who took us from our planet to finally fulfill our dreams.</p><p>Coruscant. I can't believe we're actually going to be going to the capital of the galaxy. And we've never even left the Outer Rim before. Or Tatooine, as far as I can remember, for that matter. It's hard to believe we're going to hopefully fulfill our life-long dream of becoming Jedi. Just yesterday, we were still slaves, and now, we're free. I feel like I'm still in shock over the sudden changes, since it's hard to comprehending everything that's happened to us today. The entire world has been altered from how we'd known it, and hopefully, it's for the better.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. 8 - Coruscant</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>The green lightsaber clanks to the floor as the red blade stabs through Qui-Gon's chest. Obi-Wan's horrified cry somehow manages to shatter my heart further.</p><p>Then, I sense someone touching my arm, and I lash out instinctively without even thinking. "Aniya! Ani, it's me!" hisses my brother's voice, grabbing my wrist. I open my eyes, seeing a blurred form of my brother crouching over me, his own eyes moist with tears.</p><p>I blink a few times before registering that we're on the ship – which is still in hyperspace – with everyone safely aboard. Jar Jar is snoring in the corner, and Artoo sits silently in the center of the room. And I nearly hit my brother in the face. Oops.</p><p>I pull him onto a hug, burying my face against his shoulder. Neither of us say anything for many long moments, just holding each other in silence. We pull back from each other, and Anakin sits down next to me, leaning against the wall. I shift to sit next to him, resting my head on his shoulder.</p><p>"Did you see it again?" he inquires.</p><p>I nod, tears stinging my eyes. "It means something. We hafta do something about it."</p><p><em>What can we do? </em>It's the unspoken question hovering in the air. Whatever happens, I can't lose Anakin. Not him too. Not after we just lost our mother. The only one I have left now is my brother. Even now, when we have nothing else, at least we have each other.</p><p>As we hold onto each other, a silent promise passes between us, one understood enough that it doesn't need to be spoken. Whatever comes, light or dark, fire or ice, we'll always be together.</p><p>We scoot forwards and lie down again, trying to fall asleep. The images keep dancing before my eyes, tempting me to stay awake out of the fear of seeing it all over again. The temperature has dropped significantly since we boarded the ship, making me shiver and move closer to my brother for warmth as well as comfort. The tangible silence that's settled over the ship is making me increasingly uncomfortable as I'm being left to my own thoughts.</p><p>The decision to leave Tatooine and the consequences of our choice have finally caught up with me. The only life I've ever known, everything and everyone I've ever known are in the past now, except my twin. We're facing an unknown future with no idea what life will be like. But most of all I miss Mom. I have no idea if we're ever going to see her again, and even if we do, <em>when</em>. I've never spent even a day without her. And now, we won't see her again for who knows how long. Years maybe? I can't even think about it.</p><p>Besides, she's still a slave. What could happen to her while we're gone? Watto might be a better owner than some, but he's definitely not <em>nice</em>. She deserves better than that. She deserves to be free. Besides, what if since we're gone, he decides to get more slaves? Often, slaves don't care much for one another either. What's the point of forming attachments only to be sold again? Tatooine is such a dangerous planet as is. I can't help but wonder if we really made the right decision, even though I know there's no going back now.</p><p>I close my eyes tighter, trying to stop the tears from falling. I can feel my brother's pain just as distinctly as my own, and it's making everything hurt so much worse. At least now, in the darkest moments, we're together. Suddenly, I hear a soft sound from across the room. Footsteps. Someone's coming. Who could be up at this time? I open my eyes just enough to see what's happening.</p><p>It's… Padme. She's wearing her handmaiden outfit instead of the one we met her in. Jaufre – like always – is shadowing her a few feet behind. She turns on a hologram, and a recording of something starts playing. The sound is so quiet I can't really make out the words. Once it stops, the pair stand there for a while in solemn silence. Whatever it was, it must have been serious. I expect it must've had something to do with the situation on Naboo.</p><p>Something draws her attention in our direction, so I quickly close my eyes again. I don't want to talk to anyone right now. I just want to crawl into some far corner of the ship and just… be. I doubt there's anyone who understands how we feel enough to comfort us. My silent wish to be left alone is promptly ignored as Padme approaches us.</p><p>"Are you alright?" she asks quietly. Her concern is quite touching, but something about her tone just reminds me again of our loss. I want to be with Mom again. <em>We need her.</em> But she's gone. She's not here, and I don't know how we can continue without her.</p><p>"It's very cold," murmurs Anakin, shivering slightly, even though he's right next to me. Padme spreads her over-jacket over both of us, and I sigh contentedly at the sudden warmth before kicking myself mentally. I don't want to talk, but maybe their presences will be enough to comfort me. At least hearing her voice is a reminder that we're not alone.</p><p>"You're from a warm planet, Ani. Too warm for my taste." Same here.</p><p>"Space is cold," adds Jaufre. Tell me about it. I'm freezing too!</p><p>"You seem sad," observes Anakin, shifting slightly beside me. The current direction of the conversation is obviously making him as uncomfortable as it is me, and he wants to redirect it to something else.</p><p>I open my eyes finally, deciding to stop pretending to be sleeping. It's quite pointless. They must know I'm awake, or they wouldn't be talking right beside me like this. "Don't worry, I was awake even before you came in," I mumble, looking at the siblings. Both have concerned expressions, which are nearly identical. Jaufre is clearly doing his best to hide his worry, though he's failing spectacularly. Or maybe he's not. Maybe it's just that I can almost <em>feel</em> it.</p><p>"I could <em>tell</em>," Jaufre smirks at me for a moment before his gaze shifts back to my twin.</p><p>"The Queen is worried," sighs Padme, "Her people are suffering… dying. She must convince the Senate to intervene, or I'm not sure what will happen."</p><p>"If they don't decide quickly, we'll be on our own," her brother adds, "And the Senate, well… let's just say it can take months to decide on simple topics."</p><p>"I'm… I'm not sure what's going to happen to us. I dunno if we'll ever see you again." Anakin moves slightly, pulling something out of a pocket and holding it out to Padme. "I made this for you. So, you'd remember me. I carved it out of a japor snippet. It will bring you good fortune."</p><p>"It's beautiful, but I don't need this to remember you." Padme puts the japor snippet around her neck. Jaufre smiles faintly as he eyes it.</p><p>"It's really nice. You two never cease to surprise me." He pauses a moment, then crouches in front of us. "We'll never forget you, Ani. You were willing to risk your lives for us when we hardly knew each other. How could we ever forget that?" Good point.</p><p>Silence falls over the four of us for a long time, our minds drifting from the conversation we had to the possibilities of the future. Everything is so uncertain now, and there's no way to know what could happen. "Many things will change when we reach the capital, Ani, but my caring for you will always remain," Padme assures us at last.</p><p>"Thanks," I whisper, choking up with emotion. The compassion that the siblings have is far greater than I've ever seen in anyone else.</p><p>"I care for you too," Anakin murmurs before his voice grows quieter. "Only… I… miss…"</p><p>"You miss your mother," Padme states softly. It's a realization, not a question. Neither Anakin nor I can say a word.</p><p>Jaufre watches us sympathetically. He looks like he wants to say something – anything – but words fail him. Padme hesitates only a moment before wrapping her arms around us both. I instantly reach out from beneath the jacket and hug her back, suddenly feeling better than I did moments ago. I hope that we can be around them for a while longer. If nothing else, it will allow me to get used to being apart from my mother.</p><p>I don't know how they do it, but they somehow managed to make me feel better about everything. A little more hopeful too. It's moments like these where I need someone to be able to comfort us both, people who I know will never forget us, whether it's because of… well, us alone, or because we helped them get the hyperdrive to leave Tatooine. Somehow, I suddenly don't regret leaving anymore. I only regret leaving Mom alone and a slave. But we promised we'd come back to free her... and we <em>will</em>.</p><p>"We should go to bed," Jaufre interjects finally. Like I've had much luck with that so far tonight. Maybe they'll do better.</p><p>I sigh softly. "Yes, we probably should."</p><p>"Goodnight, Ani," Padme smiles, before her and her brother leave the room. I watch them disappear from sight, the door sliding closed behind them, before we lay back down again, curling up next to each other and try to sleep.</p><p>I don't actually register falling asleep, just our names being called what is assumedly the next morning. "Anakin, Aniya, wake up. We're going to be landing soon," Obi-Wan calls.</p><p>I open my eyes to see the Jedi standing in the doorway. Oh, right. The memories of the last few days crash down around me, and I push myself up into a sitting position. We're almost to Coruscant. "What's Coruscant like?" I ask sleepily, rubbing my eyes. Anakin sits up, glancing at me with an overprotective worried expression. He's wondering if I had another nightmare. I shake my head in response to his unspoken question.</p><p>"The entire planet is one city," Obi-Wan answers, motioning for us to come with him, "We'll be coming out of hyperspace any minute. Do you want to see?"</p><p>"Sure!" Anakin practically squeals, scrambling to his feet far faster than I would have thought him capable of. He offers a hand to me, pulling me up as well.</p><p>We follow Obi-Wan to the cockpit. I glance around, but don't see any sign of Qui-Gon, Padme, or Jaufre. As we enter, the ship jolts, exiting hyperspace to reveal the darkness of outer space, with a copper colored planet looming in front of us. Multiple shades of copper swirl across the world, and several small moons orbit nearby. A bright sun beyond shines light onto it. So, this is the capital of the Republic.</p><p>"There's really nothing but buildings there?" I ask, awed.</p><p>"No, there isn't," confirms the pilot.</p><p>We slowly descend closer to the surface, soon entering the atmosphere. The only thing I can see everywhere are buildings with long lines of traffic flying between them.</p><p>The ship flies closer to the surface, approaching a landing platform. "There's Chancellor Valorum's shuttle," the pilot adds when another spacecraft comes into view. "And look over there. Senator Palpatine is waiting for us."</p><p>My eyes scan the shuttle, and I spot one figure standing alone. Probably the aforementioned senator. It's not surprising the senator of Naboo is awaiting the queen's arrival. Another person – Chancellor Valorum, I think – is heading out to the landing area surrounded by several other people – guards maybe? At long last, the ship lands.</p><p>I let out a sigh of relief to feel my feet on solid ground again. Not that I mind outer space, but it's going to take some getting used to. I can't believe that we're finally here, at our destination. The place all the Jedi are, the place from which the Republic operates.</p><p>We hurry back to the main hold of the ship as everyone prepares to exit. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan walk down the ramp first, with Anakin, Jar Jar, and I right behind them. I clasp my brother's hand in a mixture of nervousness and excitement. The Jedi pause a distance away from the waiting group and bow. I do so as well after a moment of hesitation. This isn't something done on Tatooine. The entire world out here is completely different from everything I've ever known. I know it will be hard for us to adjust.</p><p>Jar Jar bows so low that he looks as though he might faceplant because of it. Queen Amidala along with her entourage approach next, and we all move aside. I spot the familiar figures of Padme and Jaufre among the group.</p><p>Qui-Gon reaches over to pull Anakin and I in front of him. Good thing, I suppose, because I'm feeling nervous enough that I'm seriously considering finding a place to hide. It's not every day we're standing in front of the leader of the galaxy, a senator, and a queen all at once. Giving this is the first time in my life, I suppose it's only fair for me to be nervous.</p><p>"It is a great gift to see you alive, Your Majesty," Senator Palpatine speaks first, "With the communication breakdown we've been very concerned. I'm anxious to hear your report on the situation. May I present Supreme Chancellor Valorum." If he's really so <em>anxious</em>, why is he smiling? I cast a sideways glance at Anakin. His expression implies the same thought.</p><p>Padme gives us an encouraging smile, one I take to mean that we have nothing to worry about. I smile when I catch sight of Jaufre, who is giving us a reassuring look. I'm so glad we met the siblings. Even if we don't see them again, I'll always remember them and their kindness.</p><p>Scanning the assembled, I can't tear my eyes from Palpatine. Looking at him, I get the strangest feeling that I can't explain. For the briefest second, while we were on our way over here, I felt like there was a being of complete darkness nearby. Sort of like what I felt around that creature that attacked Qui-Gon.</p><p>This darkness, however, somehow felt a lot more <em>hidden</em>, but at the same time, so much <em>stronger</em>. I try to conceal a shudder as the nightmare of Qui-Gon's death, which I haven't thought about much since we left Tatooine, floats through my mind. I think my concern is simply paranoia. Seeing Palpatine wouldn't have caused a reaction like that, right? He looks completely harmless. Maybe I'm just too paranoid after the nightmare and being in a new place. I need to stop being so jumpy.</p><p>"Welcome, Your Highness. It is an honor to finally meet you in person. I must relay to you how distressed everyone is over the current situation. I've called for a special session of the Senate to hear your position," Chancellor Valorum informs her.</p><p>"I am grateful for your concern, Chancellor," Queen Amidala replies.</p><p>"There is a question of procedure, but I feel confident we can overcome it," declares Palpatine as the two begin walking off. Everyone follows them, Anakin and I in the back, until we simultaneously realize that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan aren't coming with us. I glance over my shoulder to see them talking to the Chancellor.</p><p>We both stop, looking uncertainly at the Jedi. "Come, Ani," urges Padme.</p><p>"You'll be fine," Jaufre assures us.</p><p>Qui-Gon motions for us to go, so we reluctantly follow after Jar Jar. I want to stay with Qui-Gon. For some reason, it makes me feel a lot more comfortable. In a strange new place, I definitely would rather be around him. I can't figure out why I'm so on edge. I need to calm myself. Anakin doesn't seem nearly as stressed as I am.</p><p>The three of us – Jar Jar, my brother, and I – climb into the waiting taxi with the others. "Da Queens- a bein grossly nice, mesa tinks," Jar Jar tells us, then looks around, wiping at his head, "Pitty hot!" Hot? Seriously? I'm shivering from cold that doesn't seem entirely physical. The taxi takes off, and we start flying in between the towering buildings.</p><p>It's a breathtaking sight, flying through the city with the ground so far below. How many stories are these buildings, anyway? Back on Tatooine, it's uncommon to have houses more than one level. But here… I turn my full attention to my surroundings, trying to catch everything I can.</p><p>"Aniya, you alright?" my brother queries in concern.</p><p>"I just felt this… cold. I'll be fine," I insist, trying to be optimistic.</p><p>He gives me a concerned look but doesn't say anything.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
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        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. 9 - To Convince the Senate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Padme Amidala</span>
</p><p>"The Republic is not what it once was," Senator Palpatine remarks, as he paces back and forth in his quarters where I, Captain Panaka, Jaufre, and my handmaids Eirtae and Rabe are gathered. I'm back in the Nubian queen dress, trying to focus on Palpatine's words. Believe me, I know.</p><p>"The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates who are only looking out for themselves and their home system. There is no interest in the common good. No civility. Only politics. It's disgusting. I must be frank, Your Majesty, there is little chance the Senate will act on the invasion," he insists.</p><p>"Chancellor Valorum seems to think there is hope," I reply. I hope he's right. We need to get this through. Naboo cannot wait for a long drawn out debate in the Senate. People are dying every day. I cannot continue to fail my people like this.</p><p>"If I may say so, Your Majesty, the Chancellor has little real power. He is mired down by baseless accusations of corruption. A manufactured scandal surrounds him. The bureaucrats are in charge now," Palpatine continues.</p><p>"What options do we have?" I inquire urgently, attempting not to fidget.</p><p>"Our best choice would be to push for the election of a stronger Supreme Chancellor," he suggests, pausing in pacing the floor. "One who will take control of the bureaucrats, enforce the laws, and give us justice. You can call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum."</p><p>I frown. I don't like that option. I don't want to do it, not unless we really don't have any other choice in the matter. "He has been our strongest supporter," I object, "Is there any other way?"</p><p>"Our only other choice would be to submit a plea to the courts," he informs me. I exhale slowly. I respect Palpatine's opinion; he knows far more about the Senate than I do, so I'm trusting on his judgement.</p><p>"There's no time for that," I reply immediately. "The courts take even longer to decide things than the Senate. Our people are dying, Senator, more and more each day. We must do something quickly to stop the Federation."</p><p>"To be realistic, Your Highness, I'd say we're going to have to accept Federation control for the time being," Palpatine asserts. No. That is not an option. Whatever it takes, we are not going to agree to their terms. I <em>will</em> find some other way.</p><p>"That is something I cannot do." That settles the discussion.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>Late afternoon sunlight is streaming in the windows when Anakin and I decide that we better say goodbye to Padme and Jaufre. We have no idea what's will be happening, but we're supposed to be going to the Jedi Temple later today, hopefully to start training. I'm really excited, but I have no idea what it's will be like. I hope we can still stay around Qui-Gon. I'm fairly sure we will be able to, but I doubt we'll be able to see Padme and her brother anymore.</p><p>Anakin and I come to a stop at a door, the one where the queen is. They should be here also. Two guards are standing outside, with Jaufre right next to them. We both brighten at the sight of him.</p><p>"Hey Ani, what's up?" he greets us.</p><p>"We came here to say goodbye to you… and Padme," Anakin answers, eyes darting around nervously between him and the guards.</p><p>"Goodbye?" he frowns, disappointment clouding his face, "Already?"</p><p>"Is she here?" I ask, not answering his question. We may as well say goodbye to both of them at once.</p><p>"She was gonna be going on an errand. I'm not sure if she's left yet," he answers, glancing at the guards for a moment, "I just got here from being… otherwise occupied." I really, really hope that she hasn't already left. This might be the last time we ever get to see her.</p><p>"The children are here to see Padme," one of the guards says into a commlink.</p><p>"Send them in," commands someone from the other side.</p><p>The door opens to reveal one of the other handmaidens. I'm not sure what her name is. "I'd like to speak with Padme, if we can," Anakin tells her as the three of us step into the room.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Ani. Padme is not here right now," she replies apologetically.</p><p>"Who is it?" calls the queen from the next room.</p><p>"Anakin and Aniya Skywalker, to see Padme, Your Highness," she responds. Upon hearing this, the queen appears in the doorway. We both bow. I'm slightly surprised she came to talk to us, personally. She must be terribly busy.</p><p>"I've sent Padme on an errand," she explains. I feel a swell of disappointment. So, she's already left, then? I was really hoping we'd be able to see her at least one more time. I may not have known her long, but she's a friend I don't want to lose. Especially not without a goodbye.</p><p>"I'll tell her you were here," Jaufre assures us as we step back towards the door.</p><p>"We're going to the Jedi Temple to start our training, I hope," I blurt out.</p><p>"We may not see either of you again, and we just wanted to say goodbye," Anakin elaborates.</p><p>"Jaufre will tell her for you. We're sure her heart goes with you," Queen Amidala assures us.</p><p>We both bow again. "Thank you, Your Highness," we chorus.</p><p>"I'm sorry to have disturbed you," Anakin adds. She turns to go, so the two of us hesitantly leave the room as well, Jaufre close behind.</p><p>"Hopefully everything will work for you," Jaufre says, pulling us into one armed hugs, "Good luck." I hug him back. I'm definitely going to miss him as well. At least we were able to say goodbye to him, unlike Padme. She's been a good friend in the time I've known her. I'll definitely miss her; both of them actually.</p><p>"Bye Jaufre," we chorus as we head down the hall towards the exit. It's time to get back to the others. Our journey has a different path from theirs.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Padme Amidala</span>
</p><p>Before long, I find myself in the Senate pod with Palpatine and the others. As the pod floats higher up in the room, Palpatine leans over and speaks to me in a hushed tone. "If the Federation moves to defer the motion… Your Majesty, I beg of you to ask for a resolution to end this congressional session."</p><p>"I wish I had your confidence in this, Senator," I answer shortly.</p><p>"You must force a new election for Supreme Chancellor. I promise you there are many who will support us. It is our best chance, your Majesty, our only chance.," he presses.</p><p>"You truly believe Chancellor Valorum will not bring our motion to a vote?" I demand incredulously. He's supported us this whole time. I can't imagine he would stop now.</p><p>"He is distracted. He is afraid," insists the Senator, "He will be of no help." I'll keep his advice in mind, but I really, <em>really</em> hope things don't come to that. I do not want to take such extreme measures and betray one of our strongest supporters.</p><p>Before I have a chance to reply, Valorum speaks. "The Chair recognizes the Senator from the sovereign system of Naboo." Our box floats to the center allowing us to begin addressing the Senate.</p><p>"Supreme Chancellor, delegates of the Senate," begins Palpatine, "A tragedy had occurred on our peaceful system of Naboo. We have become caught in a dispute you're all well aware of, which began right here with the taxation of trade routes, and has now engulfed our entire planet in the oppression of the Trade Federation."</p><p>A second box floats forwards, containing a group of people from the Trade Federation. They're led by Lott Dod, who is the Federation Senator. "This is outrageous!" he cries, "I object to the Senator's statements!" I'm not surprised. Of course, he would instantly try to defend the actions of the Trade Federation.</p><p>"The Chair does not recognize the Senator from the Trade Federation at this time. Please return to your station," the Chancellor retorts firmly. I knew he supported us. It just remains to be seen how much he'll be able to do under these circumstances.</p><p>Lott Dod's pod floats back to where it was before, though he continues glowering at us.</p><p>"To state our allegations, I present Queen Amidala, the recently elected ruler of Naboo to speak on our behalf," Palpatine declares, motioning for me to step forwards. As I take his place at the front of the pod, the Senate cheers.</p><p>"Honorable representatives of the Republic, distinguished delegates, and Your Honor Supreme Chancellor Valorum," I begin authoritatively, "I come to you under the gravest of circumstances. The Naboo system has been invaded by force. Invaded… against all the laws of the Republic by the Droid Armies of the Trade –"</p><p>Lott Dod's pod zooms forwards again. "I object! There is no proof!" he shouts, "This is incredible. We recommend a commission be sent to Naboo to ascertain the truth." Irritation floods through me. Can't he be quiet until he's called on? Of course, they'll try and defend their actions, dragging out the Senate procedures until the situation on Naboo has deteriorated to the point where they hope I'll agree to whatever they demand.</p><p>"Overruled," Valorum asserts.</p><p>"Your Honor, you cannot allow us to be condemned without reasonable observation," argues the Senator, "It's against all the rules of procedure."</p><p>Malastare's pod moves to the center of the room along next to ours and the ambassador begins speaking. "The Congress of Malastare concurs with the honorable delegate from the Trade Federation. A commission must be appointed. This is the law."</p><p>"The point –" Volurum cuts himself off, turning to confer with the Vice Chairmen and some of his aids.</p><p>Palpatine leans over to me. "Enter the bureaucrats, the true rulers of the Republic, and on the payroll of the Trade Federation, I might add. This is where Chancellor Valorum's strength will disappear." Yes, it really does feel like they're the true rulers of the Republic now. The Republic has completely deteriorated from what it was supposed to be. Maybe Palpatine is right. Maybe I will have no choice but to demand that a new, stronger Chancellor be elected.</p><p>Valorum turns back to the assembly. "The point is conceded. Section 523A takes precedence here. Queen Amidala of the Naboo, will you defer your motion to allow a commission to explore the validity of your accusations?"</p><p>So, Palpatine <em>was</em> right. As much as I don't want to do this, it seems there is no other choice. I cannot just sit back and watch as the Trade Federation takes control of the planet. "I will not defer," I reply, controlling my anger, though I'm sure it's still audible. "I have come before you to resolve this attack on our sovereignty now. I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee. If this body is not capable of action, I suggest new leadership is needed. I move for a 'vote of no confidence' in Chancellor Valorum's leadership."</p><p>"What? No!" he protests in shock, sinking back into his chair as a ripple of agreement runs through the Senate building.</p><p>"Order! We shall have order!" Mas Amedda calls above the commotion.</p><p>The room quiets somewhat after the statement, and another box moves forwards. Bail Antilles of Alderaan. "Alderaan seconds the motion for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum,"</p><p>"The motion has been seconded by Bail Antilles of Alderaan," Mas Amedda reports.</p><p>"There must be no delays," Bail insists in my support, "The motion is on the floor and must be voted upon in this session." I am grateful to him for trying to help us. Maybe after this is over, we can look into forming a closer alliance with Alderaan if they are favorable to us.</p><p>"The Trade Federation moves the motion be sent to the procedures committee for study," retorts Lott Dod.</p><p>"Vote now! Vote now! Vote now!" people begin to chant across the Senate.</p><p>Palpatine steps closer to me. "You see, Your Majesty, the tide is with us. Valorum will be voted out, I assure you, and they will elect in a new Chancellor, a strong Chancellor, who will not let our tragedy continue." I hope so.</p><p>"The Supreme Chancellor requests a recess. Tomorrow we will begin the vote," declares Mas Amedda. Lott Dod looks enraged. Tomorrow. There is no time for this. We have to do something differently. We cannot wait another day. Another day means another day for my people to suffer. I will <em>not </em>stand by and let that happen. They trusted me with their planet. I must repay that trust.</p><p>**w**</p><p>Jaufre and I stand side by side, staring out into the night. Darkness is settling over the planet and artificial lights are beginning to dot the surface. What can we do? That's the real question. Getting a new Chancellor may hasten a resolution, but we can't wait. My people are dying by each passing moment. I can't just stand by and watch. I have to act, whatever it takes.</p><p>"What are we going to do?" Jaufre asks finally, worry lacing his tone.</p><p>"We cannot let others decide our fate," I reply, eyes fixed on the lighted buildings of Coruscant. As much as I hate to admit it, the Republic is no longer functioning like it should be. There's no reason for it to be so reluctant to help its own people. Innocent civilians are dying while the Republic is too stuck on its own rules and keeps trying to wait just one more day. Even if they do select a new Chancellor right away, there is no way to know who it could be, or if that person will act quickly enough.</p><p>"What do you suppose we do?" my brother asks finally, voice strained. "I don't think we should wait but going back would be stupid. There wouldn't be anything we could do anyway."</p><p>Going back? Alone? I turn the thought over in my mind, considering. There might be a way to do this, but I'm not sure what it is. Whatever happens, we can't just sit by and keep watching our people die. I cast a sideways glance at my brother. He's staring out the window, looking far older than he should. He's only thirteen. He shouldn't have been pulled into this, but then again, it was him who chose to come along. I should have refused.</p><p>"Mesa wonder why da guds invent pain?" Jar Jar speaks up finally, moving closer to us.</p><p>"To motivate us, I imagine," I reply quietly.</p><p>"Yousa tinken yousa people gonna die?"</p><p>"I don't know," I state simply. I'm afraid so, but there's no need to make him worry.</p><p>"Gungans gonna get pasted too, eh?"</p><p>"I hope not." They live underwater, and the Trade Federation may not know where they live. If they survive, we might have a better chance of fighting back.</p><p>"Gungans no dien without a fight," Jar Jar declares firmly. "Wesa warriors. Wesa gotta grand army. Dat why you no liken us, metinks."</p><p>Wait – a grand army? That's exactly what we need. If we can somehow get the Gungans to help us, there might be a chance. The door opens and I turn around, Jaufre simultaneously moving away from my side. We slip back to our 'just friends' show we have to put on around the public.</p><p>Palpatine and Captain Panaka rush into the room, bowing briefly before Panaka speaks up. "Your Highness, Senator Palpatine has been nominated to succeed Valorum as Supreme Chancellor." I can hardly believe my ears at the declaration.</p><p>"A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one," Palpatine says with a smile, "I promise, Your Majesty, if I am elected, I will bring democracy back to the Republic. I will put an end to corruption. The Trade Federation will lose its influence over the bureaucrats, and our people will be freed."</p><p>That's wonderful news, but we don't have any guarantee that he will be elected. "Who else has be nominated?" I question.</p><p>"Bail Antilles of Alderaan and Ainlee Teem of Malastare," Panaka relates.</p><p>"I feel confident our 'situation' will create a strong sympathy vote for us. I will be Chancellor, I promise you," Palpatine insists.</p><p>I walk past them, turning back to the window to calm myself. "I fear by the time you have control of the bureaucrats, Senator, there will be nothing left of our cities, our people, our way of life…" It will take far too long. I'm must take a different approach.</p><p>"I understand your concern, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, the Federation has possession of our planet. The law is in their favor," the Senator replies.</p><p>I stare out the window for another moment, taking a deep breath. There isn't any other choice, even if it will put me in grave danger. "With the Senate in transition, there is nothing more I can do here. Senator, this is your arena. I feel I must return to mine. I have decided to return to Naboo. My place is with my people." From Jaufre's expression, he looks like he's about to throw a full-out temper tantrum, but the glare I give him is severe enough to make him stay quiet.</p><p>"Go back? But, your Majesty, be realistic!" protests Palpatine, "You would be in danger. They would force you to sign the treaty."</p><p>"I will sign no treaty, Senator," I retort.</p><p>"<em>Your Majesty</em>, I must protest," interjects Jaufre, frowning, "It's way too dangerous –"</p><p>"My fate will be no different from that of our people," I retort, maintaining my calm. Somehow, it seems no matter how old I get, my younger brother will never decide I'm old enough to take care of myself. He's overprotective, which I would appreciate more if many others lives – including those of our sister and parents – weren't at stake. "Captain?"</p><p>"Yes, Your Highness?" he replies.</p><p>"Ready my ship," I order.</p><p>"Please, Your Majesty, stay here where it's safe," Palpatine protests. Safety. It's all a relative term. Why I am so much more different than my people that I should hide from suffering and leave them to their fate? No. I will not change my mind.</p><p>"No place is safe if the Senate doesn't condemn this invasion. It is clear to me now that the Republic no longer functions as a democracy." I walk over to the door, turning back to Palpatine. "If you win the election, Senator, I know you will do everything possible to stop the Federation. I pray you will bring sanity and compassion back to the Senate." With that, I turn and stride from the room, Jaufre and the others right behind me.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. 10 - The Jedi Council</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I'm both excited and worried as we walk through the halls of the Jedi Temple. It's the most magnificent building I've ever seen, far more beautiful than anything I could have imagined. The ceilings tower far above us, and the halls are filled with endless doorways, large pillars supporting the upper floors. The sight is breathtaking, and I find it hard to make myself keep walking instead of stopping to stare at our surroundings.</p><p>Qui-Gon seems certain that the Council – essentially the leaders of the Jedi – will agree for us to be trained, but he did warn us there's a chance they may decide against it. I just hope they agree, because if not, leaving our mother will have been for <em>nothing</em>. They will, though, right? There's no reason to refuse.</p><p>Finally, we come to a stop in front of the Council room. "We're here," Qui-Gon states, "You'll go first, Anakin. Just remember to stay calm."</p><p>"We'll be right out here waiting," I assure him, trying to hide my anxiety. I'm far more nervous than I care to admit, but I'm trying to put on an outwards show of collectedness. Somehow, I get the feeling the Council would not like if I was on the verge of panicking. I have nothing to worry about, but this is a totally new place, and I have no idea what it's like. I have the fear that I'll do something incredibly stupid in true-Aniya fashion, and they'll decide not to train me.</p><p>The doors slide open and I watch as Anakin steps inside. They close behind him again, and I stand there, watching them for a minute before turning away. "How long does it take?" I ask finally. I want this to be over with, so I'll have a definite answer about our future.</p><p>"Not long, usually," Qui-Gon replies, walking over to one of the nearby windows. Obi-Wan joins him. The sun slowly sinks over the horizon, casting a beautiful golden-orange glow across the never-ending city.</p><p>After what feels like forever, the door opens and Anakin darts out. "What's the 'Dark Side?'" It's the first thing out of his mouth.</p><p>"It's the side of the Force that relies on dark emotions like anger and hatred," explains Qui-Gon, "The Jedi are only supposed use the Light Side of the Force."</p><p>I'm confused as to what they're talking about, but before I can start asking a million questions, Obi-Wan interrupts. "I believe it's time for you to be tested, Aniya."</p><p>Oh, right. That. My gaze darts to my brother. "Don't worry. Just try to stay calm, and you'll be fine," he assures me as I slowly walk into the room. I don't really know what to expect. As I step through I doorway, I see twelve figures seated in a semi-circle around the room. Only one is human; all the others are strange species that I hardly recognize.</p><p>"I am Master Mace Windu," begins the dark-skinned human, "You are aware you are older than the usual age of younglings, correct?" His brown eyes stare at me coldly.</p><p>"Yes," I answer nervously. I hope that won't be too much of a problem. Why would it though?</p><p>"Master Yoda, I am," the little green being speaks next, "Your name, what is?"</p><p>"Aniya Skywalker," I reply.</p><p>"And you're from Tatooine?" Windu asks in an overly cold tone.</p><p>"Yes," I confirm, trying not to let his emotionless stare unnerve me.</p><p>"We will test you to determine if you qualify for training," Windu continues, "Use the Force to tell us what appears on this viewscreen." He holds out a viewing screen and an image flashes across it.</p><p>I reach out mentally, trying to keep track of all sensations I'm getting. There's so many pouring in from all over, but I try to hold onto the one coming from the screen. "A ship."</p><p>Another picture flashes across the screen, and I pause for the briefest moment, trying to figure out what it is I sense. It feels like something stupidly obvious, which is probably why I don't place it immediately. "A cup."</p><p>The image changes again. "A speeder," I state quickly.</p><p>Windu turns off the screen, looking over at Yoda. "Good, good, young one," he says, confirming that I've successfully passed this test. "How feel you? Afraid, are you?" he queries, his ears twitching as he studies me.</p><p>"No, sir." Afraid, no. Nervous, yes. I feel completely alone in my new life. My – <em>our</em> – futures depend on this decision. I wish Mom was here. It's a completely different place, and we're here, all alone. I don't know what kind of place this is, I don't know how to act. If she was here, she could help us, and part of me is afraid that we'll never see her again. We've never been in a situation without her, and I feel so alone. I miss her terribly. I can only take comfort in the fact that Qui-Gon is here. <em>For how long?</em> No, I can't dwell on those thoughts right now.</p><p>"See through you, we can," Master Yoda says not unkindly, his yellow-green eyes fixed on me.</p><p>"Your thoughts dwell on your mother," observes the tall-headed one sitting to Yoda's right.</p><p>"I miss her," I admit quietly, lowering my gaze. I don't want to talk about this. It wasn't easy to give her up, and I'd prefer not to think about it. I wish Anakin – or just <em>someone</em> – was in here with me. Our futures are on the line here, and if I do something stupid – no, I can't think like that.</p><p>"Afraid to lose her, I think," Yoda states, "But sense fear of something else I do as well." Of course. My nightmare. He's talking about my nightmare. I take a slow, steady breath, trying to calm myself, repeating my brother's words. <em>Just try to stay calm.</em></p><p>"The day before we left Tatooine, I had nightmare," I tell them after a pause, "And I'm worried it might happen because that's happened before."</p><p>"Hm. Always in motion, the future is," Yoda states.</p><p>"Be mindful of your feelings," warns Windu.</p><p>"Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering," warns Yoda. I don't fully understand the phrase, but I assume he must have said something similar to Anakin, which is why he asked Qui-Gon about the "Dark Side."</p><p>I glance between Yoda and Windu. A tense silence falls over the room for a long moment. It seems like their waiting for me to say something, but I don't know what. "I sense much fear in you," Yoda finally observes.</p><p>I take a deep breath, pausing to convince myself otherwise. Mom's gone now, and… we will see her again, even if it's not for a long time. Anakin felt it, and I trust his judgement far more than my own. He's here, and nothing will ever take us from each other. Qui-Gon will help us. He'll take care of us; we'll be fine. "I am not afraid," I insist quietly.</p><p>"Then continue, we will," Yoda decides at last.</p><p>"I understand you're quite close to your brother," Windu remarks suddenly.</p><p>Of course, we're close. We're <em>twins</em>. We've grown up, side by side, together since before we were born. We do everything together; it's how we survived our life of slavery. "Yes," I confirm hesitantly.</p><p>The council members share glances, almost as if they're conferring silently.</p><p>"Tell the others to return," Windu orders. I exit the room, hurrying out to rejoin the others. Anakin gives me a questioning look.</p><p>"We're all supposed to go in there," I inform them awkwardly.</p><p>"Correct you were, Qui-Gon." Yoda is the first to speak as the four of us stand in the circle at the center of the room. <em>Correct about what?</em></p><p>"Their cells contain a high concentration of midi-chlorians," Windu adds. I really need to remember to ask Qui-Gon about those later.</p><p>"The Force is strong with them," continues the one on Yoda's right.</p><p>"They are to be trained then," Qui-Gon says. It's a statement, not a question. He's clearly certain of the answer.</p><p>There is a heartbeat of silence and I practically hold my breath waiting for the answer. "No. They will not be trained," Windu says finally, without even the slightest shred of sympathy in his voice. He's tone is just as cold as it has been this whole time.</p><p>For a second, I'm not sure I heard correctly. Was our lifelong dream really just denied? Shock gives way to denial and pain. Everything we've ever dreamed of and hoped for will never happen. And we left our mother for what? <em>Nothing.</em></p><p>Tears fill my eyes as my heart shatters further. It's only through pride alone that I don't cry in front of them. I refuse to let myself cry in front of people I don't know, and certainly not the ones who just ruined what was left of my life.</p><p>"No?!" cries Qui-Gon, indignation filling his voice. Despite my overwhelming despair, I still feel a sense of gratitude that at least <em>he </em>cares. Anakin wordlessly takes my hand and squeezes it, refusing to let go. I cling to him for the strength and support that we both need right now.</p><p>"They are too old. There is already too much anger in them. And their attachment to each other is far too strong," Windu states bluntly. Why? I don't understand. This is all we've wanted for as long as I can remember. How can they refuse so calmly as if it means nothing? And how can they say we're not supposed to have an attachment to each other? We're twins! Of course, we're close to each other. It's unnatural to expect anything else.</p><p>"The boy is the Chosen One, and the girl's destiny is forever intertwined with his! You must see it," argues Qui-Gon. He obviously has no intention of backing down.</p><p>"Clouded, these children's futures are. Masked by their youth," interjects Yoda.</p><p>"I will train one of them, then," Qui-Gon decides, "Obi-Wan can train the other." A single shard of hope blooms inside of me. Maybe, just <em>maybe </em>there's still a chance we'll be able to become Jedi.</p><p>"An apprentice, you have, Qui-Gon. Impossible to take on a second," replies Yoda.</p><p>"We forbid it," Windu adds. "Besides, Obi-Wan is still a padawan."</p><p>"Obi-Wan is ready," Qui-Gon argues, completely unfazed.</p><p>"I am ready to face the trials," Obi-Wan concurs, certainty in his voice as he speaks up for the first time.</p><p>"Ready so early, are you?" Yoda replies, "What know you of ready?"</p><p>"He's headstrong. And he has much to learn about the Living Force, but he is capable. There is little more he will learn from me," Qui-Gon argues defiantly, "And he <em>is </em>ready to take on an apprentice. Many others have taken padawans at younger ages."</p><p>Obi-Wan sends an angry glance at Qui-Gon, which he returns. I don't understand exactly what Obi-Wan is upset about. Maybe I'll be able to take the time to think about it when I'm not feeling like my life was ripped away.</p><p>"Our own council we will keep on who is ready. More to learn he has," Yoda insists, obviously unwilling to further contemplate the suggestion.</p><p>"Now is not the time for this. The Senate is voting for a new Supreme Chancellor. Queen Amidala is returning home, which will put pressure on the Federation and could widen the confrontation," Windu informs us, completely changing the topic. It appears they intend to discuss our situation later. I can only hope that maybe they'll change their minds. Qui-Gon is determined to see us trained, so I'm certain he'll find a way to make it happen.</p><p>"And draw out the Queen's attacker," adds Yoda.</p><p>"Events are moving fast… too fast," comments the one sitting to his right. That I have to agree with. Two days ago, we were on Tatooine. It feels like a lifetime ago.</p><p>"Go with the Queen to Naboo and discover the identity of the Dark Warrior," Windu commands, "That is the clue we need to unravel this mystery of the Sith." What are the Sith? I have so many questions. I'll probably never even recall them all. Well, if we're going with Qui-Gon – I hope we are – then I can ask him as I remember.</p><p>"The young Skywalkers' fates will be decided later," concludes Yoda.</p><p>"I brought Anakin and Aniya here. They must stay in my charge. They have nowhere else to go," Qui-Gon decides.</p><p>"They are your wards, Qui-Gon. We will not dispute that," responds Windu. At least that's one thing I have to be grateful for. I want to stay with him. He's the only other person we're close with, and I can't let go of him too. Not now, and preferably not ever.</p><p>"Train them not. Take them with you, but train them not!" orders Yoda.</p><p>"Protect the Queen, but do not intercede if it comes to war unless we have the Senate's approval." Windu finishes giving Qui-Gon his orders.</p><p>"May the Force be with you," Yoda finishes.</p><p>Feeling depressed, but still bearing a glimmer of hope, I follow Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as we walk out of the Council room. I find it oddly relieving to finally be out from there. I squeeze Anakin's hand in an attempt to calm us both.</p><p>The sun has completely set by this point, and darkness is slowly beginning to cover the planet. The buildings of the city are now mostly alight, and while they aren't bright enough to make it look like daytime, the planet is still incredibly bright. It's <em>nothing</em> like nights on Tatooine, which are completely dark. With all the light here, I wonder if it's even possible to see the sky covered with stars from one end to the other. Probably not.</p><p>I'm feeling very heavy right now, but we're going to Naboo, which means <em>another </em>planet we get to see. Plus, we'll probably be able to see Padme and Jaufre again. Suddenly, some of the heaviness lifts, and a tad of excitement runs through me.</p><p>Wind whips around as we stand together near the ramp to the ship, waiting for the Queen and her entourage to arrive. It's amazing to finally be able to feel the wind without the unwelcoming accompaniment of clouds of sand. If not for the situation, maybe I could actually enjoy it.</p><p>Neither of us have spoken since we left the Council room, as we try to cope with the downturn of events. My future seems bleak in comparison to what I'd hoped. We gave up everything we had for nothing. All we can do is trust that Qui-Gon will figure this out. He had faith in us that we could win the Pod Race, so I'm sure we can trust him to find a way to convince the Council to change their minds. If not, maybe he'll disobey and train us anyways.</p><p>"It is not disrespect, Master, it's the truth." Although Anakin and I are standing next to Artoo, Obi-Wan's frustrated voice is still drifting to us from his position next to Qui-Gon on the boarding ramp. For some reason, they've been acting hostile towards each other since the Council meeting. I expect it might be because Obi-Wan agrees with the Council. Or maybe he doesn't like that Qui-Gon decided to train one of us without even talking to Obi-Wan about it.</p><p>"From your point of view," Qui-Gon retorts. I still don't understand. Why doesn't Obi-Wan want us to be trained? <em>Why?</em></p><p>"The twins are dangerous! They all sense it. Why can't you?" demands Obi-Wan. Sense what? What is it that we're missing? What does he mean we're 'dangerous'? We're just children!</p><p>"Their fate is uncertain, not dangerous. The Council will decide Anakin and Aniya's future. That should be enough for you. Now get on board!" Qui-Gon commands, obviously unwilling to entertain any further arguments.</p><p>For a moment, I think Obi-Wan's going to keep arguing, but he cuts himself off and stalks up the ramp, disappearing into the ship. I feel a tinge of guilt as I watch his disappearing form. He and his master appear to have been really close, but since my brother and I came here, the tension only seems to be mounting between them. I hate seeing people fighting. It's worse that we're the cause of it. Anakin hesitates for a second before slowly approaching Qui-Gon.</p><p>"Master Qui-Gon, sir, I do not wish to be a problem," he murmurs.</p><p>"You won't be, Ani," Qui-Gon assures us. I join Anakin where he's standing a few feet away from the Jedi, sensing that he's going to tell us something important. "I'm not allowed to train you, so I want you to watch me and be mindful. Always remember, your focus determines your reality. Stay close to me and you will be safe."</p><p>Anakin hesitates a moment before asking, "I've been wondering… what are midi-chlorians?" Oh right, that. I'd been wondering ever since we first heard the word back on Tatooine.</p><p>"Midi-chlorians are a microscopic lifeform that reside within all living cells and communicate with the Force," he explains.</p><p>"They live inside us?" I query in confusion. This doesn't make sense.</p><p>"In your cells. We are symbionts with the midi-chlorians," he elaborates.</p><p>"Symbionts?" Anakin questions, as confused by the word as me.</p><p>"Life forms living together for mutual advantage. Without the midi-chlorians, life could not exist, and we would have no knowledge of the Force. They continually speak to you, telling you the will of the Force."</p><p>"They do?" we chorus, bemused. I know almost nothing about the Force, but from Qui-Gon's words, it seems far more complex – and confusing – than I'd imagined.</p><p>"When you learn to quiet your mind, you will hear them speaking to you," Qui-Gon tells us.</p><p>"I don't understand," Anakin mumbles. I feel the same. This is more than a little overwhelming.</p><p>"With time and training, Ani… you will," he assures us. He looks at us, including both of us in his words. I'm still confused, but I trust him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. 11 - Journey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Half way through Coming of Dawn now! :D The major changes begin here! ;) Staring from next week, I'll only be releasing on Fridays. :P</p><p>~ Amina Gila</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>The sudden sound of approaching vehicles startles us out of our conversation. Two taxis land nearby. The first person I spot is Queen Amidala. I don't recognize anyone in a group except Jar Jar, Jaufre, and Senator Palpatine, probably partly because it's nighttime. The darkness makes it hard to recognize everyone else.</p><p>Where's Padme? My gaze darts between the handmaidens but it's too dark to tell if one of them is her or not. Maybe she's already on the ship.</p><p>My gaze flickers back to Palpatine again. I can't figure out why I'm feeling so on edge around him, so I shake it off. I'm just glad we can go with Qui-Gon to Naboo. As time goes on, I'm becoming increasingly confident that there was something to Aniya's dreams. And maybe… maybe we'll be able to stop it from happening. Resolve fills me. I will not let her nightmares happen, no matter what. Qui-Gon <em>can't</em> die.</p><p>"Your Highness, it is our pleasure to continue to serve and protect you," Qui-Gon tells the queen as the group approaches us. Anakin and I back out of the way to let them past.</p><p>"I welcome your help. Senator Palpatine fears the Federation means to destroy me," she replies simply.</p><p>"I promise you I will not let that happen," Qui-Gon responds with determination. Queen Amidala, along with her retinue, board the ship.</p><p>Jar Jar pauses at the entrance to the ramp, pulling me and Aniya into a hug, which honestly makes me feel better. "Wesa goen home!" he declares happily. I can certainly understand his excitement. If my home was on any planet other than Tatooine, I'd be really excited too. I quickly force my mind away from thoughts of Mom alone on our home planet. I don't need to have a meltdown about that right now.</p><p>As the four of us board the ship, I take one final glance at Coruscant. If we're going to be staying there most of the time, like I assume we will, it'll take a long time to feel like home.</p><p>Aniya and I watch out the viewport until the ship jumps into hyperspace before heading to the corner of the room, hoping to take some time to sort our minds out.</p><p>Just then, I hear footsteps approaching, and Jaufre steps into the room.</p><p>"Jaufre!" we call happily.</p><p>"Hi Ani!" he greets us cheerfully, crossing the room to take a seat next to us. "Why are you here? You know – not that I mind or anything but <em>why</em>?"</p><p>I frown. "The Council doesn't want to train us, so we're staying with Qui-Gon for now."</p><p>"What?!" he cries incredulously, "But why?!"</p><p>"Because they say we're too old," Aniya explains.</p><p>"But that's… that's ridiculous!" he cries at last, "Even I can see that you have skills, that you ought to be trained."</p><p>"They're going to reconsider it after the situation on Naboo is settled," I inform him, eyes wandering back to the endless blur of hyperspace. I really hope that they'll change their minds, but at the same time, the decision sounded pretty much final to me. I don't want to get my hopes up again.</p><p>"Oh, good," he says, seeming to calm down a little, though his annoyance remains clear, "Because I would be deeply concerned about their mental status if they didn't agree." I laugh, suddenly feeling lighter than I have all day.</p><p>He pauses for a moment. "If they still refuse to train you even after this is over, you should move to Naboo and live with us. And we'll free your mother."</p><p>Aniya suddenly giggles. "Yes, then we can burn speeder parts together."</p><p>Jaufre rolls his eyes, unable to hide his grin.</p><p>"We won't be burning them at all," I object, "We'll be making things with them."</p><p>"I don't mind, as long as you don't throw parts all over my bedroom floor," he offers brightly.</p><p>"Where has Padme been anyway?" I question, changing the topic. She seems to have disappeared. Is she even on the ship?</p><p>"With the queen," Jaufre explains, "She –" The opening of the door interrupts the conversation, and Obi-Wan steps into the room.</p><p>"I should probably go in case she needs me," he remarks, standing up, "See you around, Ani!" With that, he hurries away.</p><p>My gaze turns to Obi-Wan, and I finally decide to ask something I've been wondering since the moment we met. "Why do you have a braid?"</p><p>"It shows that I'm a Padawan," he clarifies stiffly. "It's a Jedi custom." Oh.</p><p>"So, if we become Padawans, we'll have braids too?" queries Aniya, before smirking. "I can't imagine Anakin with a braid." I shoot her an exasperated look. I know she'll be teasing me relentlessly if we <em>do</em> become Padawans.</p><p>"What color is your lightsaber blade?" wonders Aniya suddenly, turning back to Obi-Wan.</p><p>"Blue," he replies.</p><p>"Cool," I exclaim. "How many different colors are there?"</p><p>"Pretty much all the colors of the rainbow," he answers, "Green and blue are most common. Purple, yellow, and orange are much rarer. Red is only used by Dark Siders."</p><p>"Why do you have a blue lightsaber?" inquires Aniya curiously.</p><p>"Blue comes from focusing more on combat aspects," he replies, a hint of exasperation creeping into his tone. I almost question why, if he doesn't want to talk to us, he's even here.</p><p>"Can I see it?" I ask hopefully. I've only seen green and red ones so far, and I'd really like to see what a blue one looks like.</p><p>Obi-Wan sighs. "I – do you want to go look around the ship maybe?"</p><p>"Sure!" I squeal, grabbing his hand and pulling him along after us as we run out of the room.</p><p>"You look like you could use company, and besides, we don't want to get lost," Aniya offers brightly when he looks like he's about to protest.</p><p>Half an hour later, we find ourselves in the main control room for the ship. "What does this do?" I inquire, studying the various controls on the panel.</p><p>"Where does this go to?" calls Aniya from down the hall, distracting me from the controls. I run over to her, stopping as the door in front of us slides open.</p><p>"Can we go in here?" I ask, poking my head into the room that looks very much like it leads to the main reactor of the ship.</p><p>"No," Obi-Wan practically groans. "We shouldn't even be down in this part of the ship in the first place."</p><p>"But it won't hurt anything!" protests Aniya.</p><p>"How about I teach you how to meditate?" Obi-Wan suggests with an exasperated sigh. Meditate? Isn't that something Jedi do?</p><p>"But I thought you weren't allowed to train us," Aniya states, looking as confused as I'm suddenly feeling.</p><p>"You don't have to be a Jedi to meditate," he replies flatly. "Now come on." We head back to the room we were in earlier and take seats on the floor.</p><p>"Close your eyes," he instructs, "Try to quiet your mind and reach out to feel the Force." I close my eyes, trying to follow his instructions. I don't know how long it is before I eventually manage to get into a semblance of the state that I think he's talking about, though it's hard, because a million random thoughts keep popping up. I hardly understand what he's saying, but I feel myself reaching out. I don't understand it, but it's like I can see my surroundings in detail even though my eyes are closed.</p><p>I reach out, nudging at the presences beside me. I wonder if this is how Aniya and I always talk to each other. I know the feel of Aniya maybe better than myself, but then I feel something else. As I feel Obi-Wan's presence, something changes. I can suddenly feel him far more clearly. Not nearly as bright and clear as Aniya, but far stronger than I could before. It's like something snapped into place between us, something I don't understand, yet it feels strangely right.</p><p>"What was <em>that</em>?" I demand, eyes opening as I'm startled out of the calm which I'd attained.</p><p>"What was <em>what</em>?" replies Aniya, looking over at me with a confused expression.</p><p>"We just formed a bond," Obi-Wan explains slowly, a hint of apprehension on his face.</p><p>"A bond?" I query curiously, looking up at him.</p><p>"Force sensitives usually only bond if they're a master and Padawan pair, or in your case, close siblings," he elaborates. "I've – I've never heard of the Force forming a bond of its own between two individuals." Which is obviously what just happened. That's so weird, but it doesn't bother me as much as it maybe should.</p><p>"Oh," I nod excitedly. I jump slightly as the door slides open. Qui-Gon steps into the room, frowning as he takes in the scene.</p><p>"What is going on here?"</p><p>"We were just…" Obi-Wan trails off, suddenly seeming to be at a loss for words.</p><p>"You know we aren't allowed to train them yet," he chides, but somehow, he seems somewhat amused at the same time. "I won't mention it to anyone as long as you don't."</p><p>"Of course," Obi-Wan agrees immediately.</p><p>"Now, it's probably time for you two to be in bed," Qui-Gon declares, turning to us.</p><p>"I'm not tired," protests Aniya hastily.</p><p>"Tomorrow is going to be a long day," he replies. "We could be walking right into a war. You'll need the rest."</p><p>"<em>Fiiiiiiiiiiiine</em>," she concedes at last.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>The altogether too familiar images dance before my eyes again. The red and black striped being fighting Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, and when Obi-Wan is trapped behind the laser beams, the creature kills Qui-Gon.</p><p>I jolt awake, heart pounding. Anakin stirs beside me, before opening his eyes. He probably woke up from feeling my emotions.</p><p>"You saw it? Again?" he inquires, worry shining in his bright blue eyes.</p><p>I nod, shifting closer to him. "I think… that it's gonna happen if we don't do something about it," I whisper shakily. "They… they said they thought the being might be drawn out to Naboo when we go back there, and…" I shudder inwardly. Within the next few hours, we could be facing that <em>creature</em>. And watching my nightmare unfold in front of us.</p><p><em>No. </em>That can't happen. We can't let it happen. I can't lose someone else so soon.</p><p>The door to the room suddenly slides open and Obi-Wan steps into the room, a slightly concerned expression on his face. "Are you alright?" he asks as soon as he realizes we're wide awake.</p><p>I shake my head, suddenly wanting to cry.</p><p>"Aniya's been having nightmares," Anakin says after a pause. "We think they might really happen because they have before, and the same thing keeps repeating in every one." He takes my hand, holding it tightly. I lean against him, trying to draw comfort from my brother's presence.</p><p>"What did you see?" Obi-Wan asks, crossing the room and sitting down next to us.</p><p>"That creature that attacked Qui-Gon on Tatooine," I mumble. "It attacked him again and… he was seriously injured and…" I trail off, not even wanting to finish. But judging from the concerned expression that flashes across Obi-Wan's face, I'm pretty sure he knows what I'm trying to say.</p><p>"I'll talk to Qui-Gon about it but try not to worry about it too much. The future is always in motion. The vision is only a possible future, not one that is definite," Obi-Wan tries to reassure us. That may be true, but –</p><p>"I saw it the second night back on Tatooine, before we even saw it. Or you," I add. Tears sting my eyes as the image replays itself in my mind. No, he can't die. He <em>can't!</em></p><p>"We'll be careful," Obi-Wan tries to reassure us. I scoot closer to him, wrapping my arms around him. Anakin moves forwards to do the same. After a moment of hesitation, he hugs us back. I feel something – Obi-Wan – brush against my mind, sending a wave of calm and peace to me. At that moment, I sense <em>something</em> snap into place between us – no doubt the same feeling Anakin was talking about earlier when Obi-Wan showed us how to meditate.</p><p>Any frustration I have over what happened earlier today disappears as I hold onto him, never wanting to let go. I'm so glad he's here. Somehow, he already feels part of our very dysfunctional small family.</p><p>**w**</p><p>"Ani! It's time to get up!" I hear Jaufre calling. "We'll be coming out of hyperspace soon, and I don't think you want to be left behind on the ship."</p><p>Anakin groans, pulling the blanket over his head. I blink sleepily, looking up. Jaufre is standing in the doorway, with Jar Jar behind him. "Wesa home!" the Gungan practically squeals in excitement. I'm still exhausted – probably from the little sleep I've gotten recently – but I'm excited to see Naboo. After all, this is <em>Padme's</em> home planet.</p><p>I sit up, yanking the blanket away from my brother, ignoring his muffled grumbles. "Come on! I want to see the planet as soon as we come out of hyperspace."</p><p>We're both glued to the viewport when the ship finally emerges from hyperspace, revealing a mostly blue planet, partially covered in white swirls. Is… is that <em>water</em>?</p><p>As the spaceship enters the atmosphere, I can soon see the endless green hills and trees that cover the planet's surface, interspersed with large lakes and rivers. It's by far the most beautiful place I've ever seen. So much more so than Coruscant, and let's not even begin to talk about Tatooine. "I didn't know there was so much greenry in the galaxy," I murmur, staring in awe out the windows.</p><p>"Or water," agrees Anakin.</p><p>As we join the procession disembarking from the ship, I suddenly catch sight of someone I haven't seen in a long time. <em>Padme. </em>Jaufre is trailing after her.</p><p>"Hi!" calls Anakin, running over to her, "Where have you been?"</p><p>"Ani! What are you doing here?" she inquires, surprised. I guess her brother failed to tell her that we came with them.</p><p>"We're with Qui-Gon," I explain, "But they're not going to let us be Jedi. We're too old." Though I've begun to entertain the hope that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan will train us even if the Council refuses.</p><p>Padme frowns, glancing around. "This is going to be dangerous, Ani," she warns, her attention obviously more focused on the present situation than us, right now. I actually don't know what's even happening. I probably should have asked someone before we arrived.</p><p>"I thought so," I sigh, images of my nightmare flashing through my mind again.</p><p>"Is it? We can help!" offers Anakin.</p><p>"She doesn't even want me to be here because of the danger, but there's no other choice anyway because it's not like I could stay behind on Coruscant," pipes up Jaufre, a hint of smugness in his tone.</p><p>Padme gives him a look. "You're only thirteen and –"</p><p>"And <em>you </em>are only fourteen, which is hardly a difference," replies Jaufre, crossing his arms, a cocky grin on his face. Why do I get the feeling they've already had at least one argument about this? Probably more.</p><p>"Where are we going?" Anakin interjects finally before the siblings can begin another squabble.</p><p>"To war, I'm afraid," Padme replies. "The Queen has had to make the most difficult decision of her life. She doesn't believe in fighting, Ani. We are a peaceful people…" She trails off.</p><p>"I want to help," Anakin insists. And we will help. In any way we can. "I'm glad you're back," he tells her with a smile, which she returns, despite obviously being very worried about the situation. I'm really grateful that at least we could see her again. Maybe this time, when we part, we'll actually get a proper goodbye, since I'm sure we won't be able to see each other once all this is over. At least not for a while.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this, maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. 12 - The Alliance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>Towering trees surround us on all sides as our procession moves away from the ship. Thick undergrowth covers the forest floor. I've never seen trees before in my life, or water in such vast quantities. Our surroundings practically radiate with an aura of life and peace, a strange feeling I'm far from accustomed to, but it's wonderful.</p><p>Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Captain Panaka stand tensely several yards away from us, waiting at the edge of a swamp for Jar Jar to return. He was sent on a mission to go see if the Gungans will be able to help us. If not, it sounds like the situation will be practically hopeless.</p><p>Qui-Gon moves closer to the swamp, and Obi-Wan goes over to join him. The waiting is making me bored, but I know the state of affairs is dire. I hope the Gungans can help us somehow.</p><p>Aniya walks a short distance off, stopping next to a small bush. "I've never seen plants like this," she muses.</p><p>"Of course not. It's a different planet," I remind her, eyeing the plants. The trees rise dozens of feet off the forest floor, their branches spreading out thickly enough to block out much of the sunlight. I idly step over to one of them, running a hand across its trunk. The bark is a rough brown, covered with millions of intricate designs.</p><p>"And considering you're from Tatooine, I assume you have no idea how to climb trees," Jaufre says suddenly appearing behind us.</p><p>"You know how to?" I ask interestedly. He smirks in response, walking over to a slightly smaller tree and starts climbing.</p><p>"I really don't think now is the time for that," Padme calls, approaching us with a frown.</p><p>"I think we could all do with some stress relief," her brother retorts, pausing at a large branch. Yes, I think we can all agree with that. Padme's just extra worried considering she's the queen's handmaiden, but Jaufre's right.</p><p>Aniya and I head over to the tree. "Care to join me?" he questions teasingly.</p><p>I eye the tree branches, wondering if they'll be able to hold all of us. Finally, I reach up and catch onto one, starting to pull myself up. Aniya carefully follows, and I find myself fearful for her safety. I'm not sure if she can really manage to make it up there. She does have a knack for being clumsy, after all.</p><p>"You're doing great," Jaufre informs us as I make it to a branch right below him. He continues calling down instructions to us as we slowly make our way up.</p><p>"You know Jar Jar will be back any moment while you're still up there, right?" Padme demands.</p><p>"We'll hear him!" I insist.</p><p>"And then we'll come down," Aniya grins. I pull myself up a few more feet before settling on the same large branch Jaufre is sitting on. Aniya swings onto one right below and looks up.</p><p>"How high up can we go?" I wonder, staring up at the treetops.</p><p>"All the way to the top if there's enough to grip on and if the branches are large enough," answers Jaufre, ignoring Padme's disapproving gaze. "Really, you should come join us!" he teases. "It's fun!"</p><p>"When the planet is not on the verge of destruction, I may consider it," she replies curtly, ignoring the fake pout I give her.</p><p>Aniya reaches up to the next branch to continue climbing, but suddenly slips and with a startled yelp, falls the six feet back to the forest floor. Padme lunges forwards to catch her but loses her balance also, and they both fall to the ground.</p><p>"Aniya!" I exclaim, swinging off the branch and scrambling down the tree as quickly as I can. "Are you alright?"</p><p>"I'm fine," Aniya groans, her face slightly red from embarrassment.</p><p>"Don't try to go down too fast!" warns Jaufre as I drop to the ground and hurry over to my sister.</p><p>"I did warn you this wasn't a good idea right now," Padme grumbles as she stands, helping up Aniya. Jaufre joins us back on the ground. "Now come on, we better get back to the others."</p><p>Finally, I hear splashing around, and the Gungan pops out of the water, walking over to the Jedi. "Dare-sa nobody dare. All gone. Some kinda fight, I tink," Jar Jar reports. That's more than a little concerning.</p><p>"Do you think they have been taken to camps?" Obi-Wan asks.</p><p>"More likely they were wiped out," decides Captain Panaka.</p><p>"No, mesa no tink so," argues Jar Jar, "Gungan hidden. When in trouble go to sacred place." Sacred place? I never would have thought Gungans to be a religious species. Apparently, they are, at least this group. "Mackineeks no find them dare," Jar Jar continues.</p><p>"Do you know where they are?" questions Qui-Gon. It's the first time he's spoken in a while.</p><p>"Mesa show you! Come on," urges Jar Jar in answer, before setting off at a rapid pace through the forest. The rest of us follow behind. A while later, we come to a stop near another swamp.</p><p>"Dissen it," he declares before letting out a strange, loud noise. Suddenly, a bunch of Gungans appear out of what seems like nowhere, riding strange creatures. They all look similar to Jar Jar, except they're different shades of similar colors. "Heyo-dalee, Captain Tarpals," Jar Jar calls cheerfully.</p><p>"Binks! Noah gain!" groans the other Gungan, apparently not at all happy to see his fellow.</p><p>"We comen to see da boss," Jar Jar tells him.</p><p>Tarpals rolls his eyes. "Ouch time, Binks," he warns, "Ouch time for all-n youse." He leads us further into the trees, with Jar Jar and Queen Amidala in the front, then the Jedi, and finally Aniya and I few steps behind. The growth in the woods becomes sparser, and we pause near a strange structure which is sticking out of the water. Several more Gungans stride towards us.</p><p>"Hello Boss Nass," greets Jar Jar as our procession approaches.</p><p>"Jar Jar, yousa payen dis time. Who's da uss-en others?" demands the tall, fat one who must be the leader. I don't get it. Why are the Gungans so upset that Jar Jar is here? He seems perfectly likeable to me. Unless, his clumsiness somehow got him in trouble.</p><p>Queen Amidala steps forwards. "I am Queen Amidala of the Naboo. I come before you in peace," she speaks.</p><p>"Naboo biggen. Yousa bringen da Mackineeks… Dya busten uss-en omm. Yousa all bombad. Yousa all die'n, mesa tink," replies Boss Nass. Maybe I should be nervous about how he's acting, but I'm not. Most of the others seem worried though, with the exception of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. They both appear the perfect picture of calm, as usual.</p><p>"We wish to form an alliance," begins Queen Amidala, but is suddenly cut off when Padme steps forwards.</p><p>"Your Honor," she begins. I stare at her in confusion. Wait, what? What's going on? Why is she talking to him? Shouldn't the queen be doing that?</p><p>"Whosa dis?" demands the Gungan leader, obviously equally confused.</p><p>"I am Queen Amidala," Padme declares, before motioning to the person in the queen's dress, "This is my decoy, my protection, my loyal bodyguard."</p><p>Aniya gasps quietly beside me, and I gape in shock. This makes so much sense, yet it makes no sense at all. Padme is the queen? So that's where she's been all this time on Coruscant! But… how could she be the queen? Aniya and I are friends with the queen?! I catch sight of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan exchanging a knowing look behind us. I'm guessing they've already suspected the truth, much unlike me and Aniya. Considering they're Jedi, it's not surprising they were able to figure out.</p><p>"I am sorry for my deception, but under the circumstances it has become necessary to protect myself," Padme explains. "Although we do not always agree, Your Honor, our two great societies have always lived in peace… until now. The Trade Federation has destroyed all that we have worked so hard to build. You are in hiding, my people are in camps. If we do not act quickly, all will be lost forever… I ask you to help us… No, I beg you to help us." She lowers herself to her knees. "We are your humble servants. Our fate is in your hands."</p><p>Slowly, everyone else starts kneeling as well. Finally, Aniya and I join them. Everything is completely still for a long moment until the leader of the Gungans begins to laugh, all former anger gone. "Yousa no tinken yousa greater den da Gungans. Mesa like dis. Maybe wesa bein friends," he decides, much happier now. Maybe even somewhat amused.</p><p>Padme smiles, obviously relieved. Naboo may have finally gotten the help it really needed. As for me, though, I'm still feeling completely stunned. I had no idea that Aniya and I are friends with the queen. Then again, when we first met her, I did have the feeling there was a lot more to her than met the eye. This, though, is forcing me to look at her from a whole new perspective. Naboo is very fortunate to have a queen like her. She's so caring, even for me and my twin when she hardly even knew us.</p><p>Padme finally rises to her feet and everyone else follows her lead.</p><p>"Seriously. I never would have expected that from Padme," Aniya whispers to me, still looking shocked.</p><p>"It explains why she wasn't there when we want to say goodbye to her," I realize, "Because we were actually talking to her."</p><p>With the meeting over, everyone begins to mill about. Boss Nass, Jar Jar, Padme, Jaufre, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and several others from both sides begin speaking with each other, no doubt coming up with a plan for their counterattack on the droid armies. One of the Gungans is soon sent to the top of their temple to keep watch. We're waiting for a signal which will begin the start of the battle. Excitement mixed with dread runs through me.</p><p>My mind wanders back to Aniya's nightmare despite the situation. We haven't seen the creature yet. <em>Yet</em>. We haven't even gone to Theed, the capital, though. Most likely that's where he is, waiting for our arrival.</p><p>Now is when I really wish that we could be trained, more so than just knowing how to meditate. I know I have some abilities in sensing the future, but they aren't that attuned. If we were, I know I'd be able to tell if that creature was going to attack us. More than anything, I want to make sure that Qui-Gon won't get hurt or killed. There's no way that can't happen. I may hardly know him, but I already look up to him a lot. In a way, he almost feels like the father figure we never had.</p><p>"Honestly," Aniya comments as we stand in silence among the trees, waiting for the call from the Gungan atop the Temple, "I'm not certain if we should be excited or worried."</p><p>I shrug. "Qui-Gon told us to be mindful right before we left Coruscant," I offer, "So at least we better keep watch in case we see the being."</p><p>"I just hope they'll remember to be careful," mumbles Aniya. "I have no idea where the two of us were in my dream, but all I know is that we must not have been nearby."</p><p>"Even though he told us to stay close to him?" I object. She shrugs, and we wait in silence for a while before a sudden thought clicks in my head. "Well maybe he told us to wait somewhere because he didn't want us to be in the middle of such a battle," I suggest.</p><p>"Maybe," she concedes, looking like she wishes I hadn't had that thought in the first place. Honestly, I do too. It sounds altogether too reasonable. "I hope not," she adds with a sigh. Obi-Wan promised they'd be careful, and I can only hope they will be. I hate being this helpless. I want to be able to help my new friends, but just like before, I'm powerless. There's <em>nothing</em> I can do for them, and I hate it.</p><p>My eyes turn to the Gungan on the top of their temple again, impatiently anticipating the call that will begin the action. Maybe I shouldn't, but I just want the battle to start, to be over with. Waiting is always the hard part. I hope everyone has finished planning and are fully prepared when the fight begins.</p><p>"Daza comen!" he calls suddenly, sending Aniya and I both flying into action.</p><p>"They're here!" Aniya and I both yell simultaneously as we run towards the group standing together, discussing the battle plan.</p><p>"Yousa doen grand. Jar Jar bringen da Naboo together," Boss Nass complements Jar Jar.</p><p>"Oh, no, no, no…" Jar Jar insists.</p><p>"So, wesa maken yousa Bombad General," decides Boss Nass, totally ignoring the other Gungan's protests.</p><p>"General?! Oh, no!" cries Jar Jar. His tongue flops out, and his eyes roll back as he falls to the ground in a faint. Surprisingly, no one seems to be particularly concerned. Maybe dramatic responses like that are commonplace for him.</p><p>Four speeders – containing the scouts and more allies – pull up. "What is the situation?" Padme inquires as people start piling out. Since the beginning of the alliance, she's openly taken up her role of being the queen. And she is doing a really good job at it.</p><p>"Almost everyone is in camps," reports Captain Panaka. "A few hundred police and guards have formed an underground movement. I brought as many of the leaders as I could. The Federation Army's also much larger than we thought, and much stronger. Your Highness, this is a battle I do not think we can win." Aniya and I exchange tense glances.</p><p>"The battle is a diversion," corrects Padme. "The Gungans must draw the Droid Army away from the cities. We can enter the city using the secret passages on the waterfall side. Once we get to the main entrance, Captain Panaka will create a diversion, so that we can enter the palace and capture the Viceroy. Without the Viceroy, they will be lost and confused. What do you think, Master Jedi?"</p><p>"The Viceroy will be well guarded," points out Qui-Gon.</p><p>"The difficulty is getting into the throne room. Once we're inside, we shouldn't have a problem," Captain Panaka tells them.</p><p>"There is a possibility with this diversion that many Gungans will be killed," warns Qui-Gon.</p><p>"Wesa ready to do are-sa part," Boss Nass assures everyone.</p><p>Jar Jar, who has finally woken up, rises to his feet looking like he's about to panic. I do hope he doesn't faint in the battlefield. That would not be very motivating for his soldiers.</p><p>"We have a plan which should immobilize the Droid Army. We will send what pilots we have to knock out the Droid control ship which is orbiting the planet. If we can get past their ray shields, we can sever communication, and their droids will be helpless," Padme informs.</p><p>"A well-conceived plan. However, there's great risk. The weapons on your fighters may not penetrate the shields on the control ship," Qui-Gon cautions.</p><p>"And there's an even bigger danger," points out Obi-Wan, finally speaking up for the first time. "If the Viceroy escapes, Your Highness, he will return with another droid army.</p><p>"That is why we must not fail to get to the Viceroy. Everything depends on it," agrees Padme. I can hardly believe it. We're about to help in a war that will determine the fate of not just ourselves, but an entire planet.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. 13 - Into Space</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry (not) about the cliffhanger at the end of Aniya's POV. Lol. You'll be waiting for a couple chapters to see the end of the duel. ;)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>Anakin promised Padme that we'll help however we can, and he meant it. So do I. Battle droids are everywhere, shooting with their blasters at anything that dares to move. I can't get rid of this feeling of foreboding. We're pressed up against one side of the hanger right behind Padme, with the Jedi, Jaufre, and a few others. We stand in one of the doorways, taking cover behind the pillars.</p><p>Padme signals across the hanger to Captain Panaka where he's standing on the other side with a group of pilots. He signals back, before motioning for everyone to move out to attack.</p><p>Qui-Gon leans over to me and my brother. "Once we get inside, Ani, you both find a safe place to hide and stay there," he commands.</p><p>"Sure," replies Anakin, nodding. Except I know he doesn't really mean it. I nod too, fear mounting. I'm afraid the Council might have been right, and the creature will be here waiting for us.</p><p>"And stay there," Qui-Gon adds, giving us a stern look.</p><p>"Be careful," I choke out, fearful that Anakin's suggestion of why we wouldn't be around when my nightmare happens is correct. Qui-Gon <em>did</em> just tell us to hide, after all.</p><p>Meanwhile, chaos breaks out. Captain Panaka's group start crossing the hanger, and the droids open fire on them. Padme glances around, then takes off running. Jaufre races after her, his blaster aimed as he fires on the droids as well. Both Jedi draw their lightsabers as the five of us, followed by the other pilots and Artoo, break into a run across the area. Both Jedi deflect a few blaster bolts flying our way. Obi-Wan easily slices through a droid standing right nearby as we reach the hanger.</p><p>As the doors slide open, we come face-to-face with even more battle droids. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are in front, deflecting all blaster shots being fired at us. Padme is between the two, with Anakin, Artoo, Jaufre, and I a few feet behind the three of them. Padme and the others start shooting back at the droids.</p><p>I sigh, knowing what we have to do now, even though I really don't want to. Anakin and I break away from the main group and run. We duck behind one of the nearby fighters to keep clear of the blaster fire, just as I trip over my own feet and faceplant onto the ground. Ugh.</p><p>"Be careful," chides Anakin as I get up and kneel down next to him, trying to avoid being spotted by our attackers. As if in response, a blaster bolt suddenly flies our direction, nearly hitting him in the head. I guess we are still pretty much in plain sight. Sparks rain down around us as another bolt strikes above our heads.</p><p>"This is scarier than I thought," I grumble quietly, ducking lower to the ground. Anakin quickly joins me.</p><p>"Get to your ships!" Padme calls to the pilots.</p><p>"Better find a new hiding place, kids. I'm taking this ship," a pilot calls to us as he climbs into it.</p><p>Artoo whistles to us from a nearby, still unoccupied, fighter. Immediately spotting the familiar droid, Anakin and I run to the fighter and climb up the ladder inside. The seat is only made for one person, though, so we're both really cramped.</p><p>"These should have been made a bit bigger," comments my brother, scooting over as far as he can and practically crushing himself against the wall to give me as much room as possible without sitting on his lap.</p><p>"I know, right?" I grumble, attempting to move over, only to slam my arm into the side. "<em>Ow</em>!" I yelp as a sharp pain radiates through it.</p><p>As the other fighters start blasting off, Captain Panaka arrives with another large group of pilots. They take out the remaining droids in the area right before Padme turns to them. "My guess is the Viceroy is in the throne room."</p><p>"I agree," Qui-Gon concurs. I push myself up the best I can to try and see them. They're not in our line of sight at the moment. Finally, on their way towards the entrance of the building, they walk right past the fighter we're in.</p><p>Anakin scrambles to his feet, as do I, but with a little more difficulty. "Hey, wait for us!" calls Anakin.</p><p>"No, Ani. You stay there. Stay where you are," commands Qui-Gon.</p><p>"But –" I begin to argue, nearly frantic. It just feels like… it feels like the place in my nightmare is very near. I can't just sit around and wait and watch if he could die.</p><p>"Stay in that cockpit," orders Qui-Gon with finality. He won't take any more arguments. Anakin moves to sit back down, with extreme reluctance, but I can't.</p><p>"I can't do this," I whisper. "I'll stay right here for now." I want to listen, but I can't just stand there and let him die knowing I could have stopped it but chose not to. Carefully, I slip out my side of the fighter. I can't tear my eyes from the doors they're heading towards, nearly dreading what it might reveal. And sure enough, they slide open to reveal the black-robed figure. My heart nearly stops. It's same one that attacked Qui-Gon on Tatooine. And the same one that is about to kill him unless something changes.</p><p>"Aniya," Anakin hisses, looking over the edge of the fighter. I don't look at him. Can't. I can't think. I'm too scared to even move or do anything but stay rooted to the spot.</p><p>Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan step to the front of the group. "We'll handle this," Qui-Gon tells everyone. Why didn't they all just shoot at the thing?! How could it defeat all of them if they launch a joint attack?</p><p>The creature throws back his hood, revealing his striped face and horned head, as everyone else scatters. The Jedi throw off their outer robes, and the being draws its lightsaber. Red blades spring out of both ends, drawing a startled gasp from me. It's a double-bladed lightsaber. I didn't even realize there was such a thing.</p><p>Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan draw and ignite their own blades. The being jumps at them, lightsaber spinning. Obi-Wan leaps over his head, and the two begin to fight him, one on each side. If not for what I'm certain the end will be, I'd find it completely mesmerizing.</p><p>Artoo's sudden beep draws my attention elsewhere. Six huge droids come rolling in and start shooting at Padme and the others.</p><p>"Aniya, get back in here!" cries Anakin, sounding nearly panicked.</p><p>"I'm staying right here. The fighter will be cover enough," I insist, "There's not room for both of us in there, anyway." In other words, I'm stuck here, even if I wanted to move. Which I don't. I want to run to the fight and do something, anything to save Qui-Gon. Except I'm too scared to move, half because of the droids firing at everyone and half because I know if I go over there and the Dark Warrior sees me, he'll likely kill me.</p><p>Thankfully, Anakin is distracted, because if he insisted again, I probably would have listened. My fear is increasing exponentially as the droids that just showed up continue firing at Padme and the others.</p><p>"We gotta do something, Artoo!" Anakin tells the droid, attention finally focused on Padme again. Suddenly, the ship turns on and it starts to move. So much for it covering me, I guess! I just hope he gets back over here as soon as those droids are taken care of. I crouch back against the wall, trying to be as invisible as possible, half of me wishing I'd listened and stayed in that fighter. I'd feel much safer. Now if the droids start shooting at me there's nothing I can do.</p><p>"All right, thanks, Artoo! Great idea! I'll take over. Let's see…" he trails off. The fighter continues to move forwards, and Anakin finally starts firing at the droids. His aim isn't the greatest, but after a few shots, all the droids are down.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Jedi are in a fierce battle with the creature, whatever it is. The battle is starting to move across the hanger now, leaving me a little safer than before. The remaining droids start firing at Anakin's fighter, and thankfully he puts up the shields. All of the sudden, the ship begins to fly forwards before blasting off the ground and straight out of the hangar.</p><p>"<em>Anakin!</em>" I shriek, horrified. Except he's not even here to hear it. I'm stuck here. Completely alone. Anakin is going to be out in space in a ship he doesn't know how to control, and Qui-Gon is possibly about to be killed by that creature. How much worse can this get? I moan and slump against the wall. What should I do now? What can I even do now, except stand right here and hope I don't get shot?</p><p>My gaze turns across the clearing to where the fighting figures somehow have made their way into the doorway of another building. The Dark Warrior throws something into a control panel nearby, and the door opens. I stare in horror as I instantly recognize the building. The place from my nightmare. And then I don't think. I run towards the doorway.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I don't have a clue what happened as we rocket out of the hanger. What did I do? "Oops! Wrong one," I groan as I see the ground growing farther and farther away below us.</p><p>"<em>What are you doing?</em>" beeps Artoo.</p><p>"I'm not doing anything!" I protest.</p><p>"<em>We're going into outer space now</em>," he warns.</p><p>"I know. I didn't push anything," I object, still confused as to why we suddenly blasted out of the hanger. I didn't even do anything that should make that happen. Now, I'm really worried about accidentally leaving Aniya behind, completely unprotected. I can only hope she'll be alright down there. I realize I can't take the time to worry about it the moment I spot a huge space battle raging right up ahead. Artoo beeps in concern.</p><p>"The Autopilot is searching for what other ships?" I ask in confusion.</p><p>He beeps another response.</p><p>"There is no manual override, Artoo. You'll have to rewire it or something," I tell him, looking over the controls.</p><p>"<em>I'm trying</em>," Artoo replies.</p><p>As the fighter continues flying on autopilot, I catch sight of the huge Federation Battleship. Around it, I spy the fighters that took off out of the hanger earlier. Constant laser fire is being exchanged between the sides. "Look!" I call back to Artoo, "There they are! That's where the autopilot is taking us."</p><p>The fighter is still on autopilot and flying forwards as another ship suddenly explodes beside me. "This is tense!" I exclaim. My eyes turn back to what's happening in front of us, and I spot a federation ship rapidly approaching us. All my worries of what might be occurring back on Naboo disappear as I realize exactly how <em>dangerous</em> this situation is. I need to completely focus on here if we aren't going to get blown up.</p><p>"Oops! Artoo, get us off Autopilot!" I yell, apprehensively.</p><p>"<em>I can't do anything. You're in control</em>," he beeps back, equally panicked.</p><p>"I've got control?" I ask, slightly surprised. I have no idea how to control a fighter. I've never been in one before, but I can only assume what's what from the looks of it. Flipping a switch, I call back to Artoo, "Okay, let's go left." Turning the controls, the ship spins left.</p><p>"Yes, I've got control. You did it, Artoo!" I congratulate him.</p><p>"<em>You better go back</em>," Artoo warns me cautiously.</p><p>"Go back?" I cry, "Qui-Gon told me to stay in this cockpit, and that's what I'm gonna do. Now c'mon!" We're already out here, so why not do something useful while we're at it? At least it will make this accidental excursion into space worth the effort.</p><p>We continue flying forwards, and another enemy fighter comes into view. I reach for the controls to fire at it, but I must have hit the wrong one because suddenly our fighter shoots forwards at tremendous speed, right past it. "Oops! Whoa!" I yelp.</p><p>The insane speed isn't the problem – it's that another ship is giving chase. I have no idea how to handle the situation, so I'll just use my experience in Pod racing and hope the idea is the same.</p><p>Swerving this way and that, I try to throw him off, but it's not working. I've never done anything even similar to this before, but I do have a lot of experience in flying pods, which is somewhat similar in its own way. "I'll try spinning. That's a good trick," I decide finally and push the controls.</p><p>"<em>We have trouble!</em>" screams Artoo desperately as the fighter starts spinning around and around.</p><p>"I know we're in trouble! Hang on," I yell back to him, "The way out of this mess is the way we got into it." Meaning we're going to have to go in reverse.</p><p>"<em>Push the reverse thrusters</em>," he suggests.</p><p>"Which one?" I ask, looking around at the controls. My eyes land on one of them. "This one?" <em>Push it,</em> whispers a voice in the back of my mind. I yank the thruster, and the ship instantly slows way down. The other fighter clearly hadn't been expecting the decrease in speed at all. It speeds past us and slams into the Federation Ship, exploding into millions of pieces.</p><p>Artoo whistles a series of panicked beeps at me as another fighter begins chasing us.</p><p>"I know, Artoo! This isn't Pod racing!" I reply. It's much more dangerous even though it's far more thrilling. I wish for a moment that Aniya could be with me. I just hope she's safe back on Naboo. Considering the situation there… she might not be. But there's nothing I can do about it now. She was out of the line of fire, though, so she should be fine. If she was hurt, I would probably feel it, so I think she's okay.</p><p>The ship behind us starts firing, one of the blasts hitting the fighter. <em>Or not</em>. The damage clearly isn't too bad, but it does send the ship into a mad spin and cause Artoo to start screaming again.</p><p>"We're hit!" I exclaim. By the time I've managed to regain control over the fighter, it's zooming into something that looks like it must be the hanger of the Trade Federation's ship. <em>Great. Now what?</em> I carefully maneuver the fighter around all the other ships and obstacles inside the hanger, feeling grateful for all my years of Pod Racing. At least they paid off for this. We're coming to the edge of the hanger.</p><p>"<em>We need to stop!</em>" cries Artoo.</p><p>"I'm trying to stop! I'm trying to stop!" I insist, hitting the reverse thrusters again. The ship thankfully slows all the way to a stop and lands inside the hanger.</p><p>"<em>We can't stay here long. We have to get out of here</em>," Artoo insists worriedly.</p><p>"All right! All right! Get the system started," I command. I reach for the control panel again but stop. All the lights on it are red. "Everything's overheated," I inform the droid. Exactly what we need when we're in enemy territory. Hopefully, everything will be working again before we get spotted.</p><p>"<em>There's a bunch of battle droids approaching us! We need to take off!</em>" he calls. I glance up to see a whole group of droids rapidly approaching us. They must have seen the ship land and recognized it as an enemy.</p><p>"Uh oh. This is not good." I duck back down to avoid being seen. Maybe they will just let us go, which I doubt, or at least be held off long enough for the system to cool off. Glancing at the dashboard, the only thing I can see is red lights. "The systems are still overheated, Artoo," I declare worriedly. Artoo better think of something to hold them off, or we'll both be fried.</p><p>"Where's your pilot?" demands the battle droid captain.</p><p>"<em>I am</em>," Artoo replies. <em>Smart.</em></p><p>"You're the pilot?" asks the droid. Unlike astromechs, these things don't seem to have a mind whatsoever. <em>Anyone</em> knows that droids can't fly fighters under such circumstances. When not in a battle, yes they can fly, but now, there's no way a droid could fly the ship properly.</p><p>"<em>Yes,"</em> says Artoo.</p><p>"Let me see your identification!" orders the captain. Meanwhile, the lights on the dashboard flash from red to green. I let out a sigh of relief. Time to get out of here.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. 14 - Battle of Theed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Nope. Nothing with Aniya here! :) Lol.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Jaufre Naberrie</span>
</p><p>The beginning of the path is mostly clear, but once we enter the hall of the palace, a group of battle droids spot us. We split in half, me heading with Padme and several others over to one of the walls while the other half goes to the other side. We stand behind the pillars, taking shelter while peering out now and them to shoot down a few droids.</p><p>I dodge a blaster bolt that nearly takes off my head, backing almost completely behind the pillar as I try to fire at them again. The first several droids in the front go down, but more of them march up to take their places and continue to shoot. They probably have a whole army here and they'll keep coming until they wear us down or kill us.</p><p>For a moment, my gaze darts up and down the elegant palace hall, taking in the damage the battle has caused. Gaping, smoking holes have been blown through it in many places where a shot missed its intended target. Not to mention the pieces of destroyed battle droids littering the hallway. Once the battle is over, it's going to take a long time to be fixed up. I suppose I shouldn't concern myself with it, considering there may not even be an "after the battle" if I don't focus.</p><p>Anger twists inside of me as I shoot at the droids, taking down another one. Even after all of this is over, it's going to take everyone on the planet a prolonged time to recover from the invasion. And to imagine, all of this occurred just because of people's greed. I wonder where the rest of our family is. We haven't had any contact with them since before the whole disaster started. They're probably in the camps with everyone else. I really hope they're all okay.</p><p>I duck back behind the pillar – really grateful for the palace's design as I nearly get my head blasted off <em>again </em>by a droid.</p><p>"We don't have time for this, Captain," Padme hisses, turning to Captain Panaka. No, we really don't. The longer we take, the more time we're giving the enemy to regroup and send more droids to attack us, preventing us from reaching Gunray.</p><p>"Let's try the outside stairway," Captain Panaka offers. He whirls around, blasting a hole in the window. The glass shatters into a million pieces, leaving a wide gaping hole open for us to exit. Captain Panaka is the first to climb onto the narrow ledge. Padme and I climb out next, followed by several other guards. A group of about a dozen soldiers remain behind on the floor below to give us cover as the droids continue shooting. Soon, we're all lined up standing on the narrow ledge. When was the last time I ever did something this risky?</p><p>I avoid looking down at the long fall below us as we fire grappling hooks to several floors above. At least if someone fell, they'd only land in the waterfall far below us. Better than hitting the ground and… I'd rather not think about what would happen.</p><p>The hooks catch on the top of the window two stories above us, and we all begin pulling ourselves up the wall with the help of the hooks, before finally landing on another window ledge. We're outside the hallway to the throne room now. I'm sure the heads of the Trade Federation will be waiting there when we arrive. I hope Padme has something in mind, because this part of the palace is definitely going to have far more security than the rest.</p><p>Padme takes aim and fires a blast through the window, shattering the glass. We all climb into the hallway in between the towering pillars. I'm really glad the palace was built with them. They're very useful in fighting and hiding, which is ridiculous when I think about it, because that shouldn't even be a thought I had to have in my own home planet. My gaze darts up and down the hallway. It looks clear; most of the droids are apparently distracted downstairs. Good.</p><p>For a moment, my mind wanders back to Anakin and Aniya. Hopefully, they're alright down there in the hanger bay. If they stayed inside the fighter, they should be.</p><p>We take off running down the large hall, heading for the door to the throne room. Just then, I hear the clattering of droids, and two destroyer droids roll up in front of us, stopping as they unroll to take aim. I raise my blaster to fire at them, but then I spot several other droids rolling up towards us from other directions. Oh great. Now what are we going to do?</p><p>Padme tosses her to pistol to the floor and looks at Captain Panaka. "Throw down your weapons. They win this round."</p><p>"But we can –" he begins to protest.</p><p>"What, you want us just to surrender? I hope you have a brilliant plan for this, sister," I grumble.</p><p>"I said throw down your weapons," she orders, glaring at me. I set my blaster down on the floor reluctantly. The others follow suit. Hopefully, Padme has some idea what she's doing. I suppose we probably couldn't overcome so many droids without being killed ourselves, but I'm not sure if we'll have a chance to escape. But then again, when has my sister ever been unable to get us out of tight spots? She seems capable of handling nearly any situation, whether through fighting or diplomacy. That's why I admire her so much – though I will never tell her so.</p><p>Battle droids swarm out of a nearby doorway, surrounding us. They march us down the hallway to the throne room. The doors slide open to reveal Gunray, and five other members of the Trade Federation.</p><p>"Your little insurrection is at an end, Your Highness," Gunray announces haughtily, "Time for you to sign the treaty, and end this pointless debate in the Senate."</p><p>Right on cue, Sabe – who has once again taken on her dress as the Naboo queen – appears in the doorway with several guards surrounding her. "I will not be signing any treaty, Viceroy, because you've lost!" she retorts.</p><p>Gunray and the others whirl towards the door, staring at them in shock. I do my best not to smirk.</p><p>Several of the guards shoot at the droids, taking down a few before they can even move to react. "After her! This one is a decoy!" cries Gunray as the group with Sabe takes off. Six of the battle droids run out of the room after them. Only four in here. This shouldn't be too hard if we can coordinate an attack just right.</p><p>"Your Queen will not get away with this," he seethes furiously. Pretending to be dejected over her failure to 'act' as the queen, Padme slumps down on the throne. She moves her hand slightly, striking a security button on the arm of the chair. A concealed compartment slides open, and she pulls out three blasters. The first she tosses to Captain Panaka, and the other to me. She takes the third for herself, and the three of us hastily shoot down the few droids left in the room.</p><p>Gunray and the others frantically look between us and the droids in a panic as we rapidly win the battle. They ought to think twice before trying something like this again. As soon as it's clear, a few of the other officers with us run to the control panel, slamming it closed so no one will be able to enter. Captain Panaka yanks out several more blasters, throwing them to the rest of our entourage.</p><p>We surround the members of the Trade Federation, aiming our blasters at them.</p><p>"Now, Viceroy, this is the end of your occupation here," Padme announces.</p><p>"Don't be absurd!" retorts Gunray, though he looks on the verge of panicking, "There are too few of you. It won't be long before hundreds of destroyer droids break in to rescue us." We'll see about that.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>"Yes, we have ignition," I inform right before sliding back into view, pushing a button, and making the engine fire up.</p><p>"You!" shouts the captain upon spotting me, "Come out of there, or we'll blast you!"</p><p>Threats are nothing new to me. "Not if I can help it!" I yell back, "Shields up." The fighter takes off, knocking over the captain. The other droids start firing at the ship, but blaster fire isn't made to penetrate fighter shields. It all bounces off easily. Still, we need to get rid of them before they figure out some way of preventing our take off.</p><p>"This should stop them," I mutter, turning on the same laser fire function I'd used earlier to destroy the droids attacking Padme. The ship starts firing at the droids, blowing them up. My eyes fall on another button on the control panel, and again something in the back of my mind whispers at me to push it. "And take this," I add, pushing it. Two torpedoes shoot out of the ship but miss the droids, instead striking something farther into the ship.</p><p>"Darn, I missed!" I groan. They fly down the hall into the room beyond, and suddenly the whole thing blows up. "Let's get out of here!" I call, worried. The explosion was really fierce, and it seems to be continuing to denotate more things from the inside out. We have to hurry if we don't want to get blown away with it.</p><p>I send the fighter flying forwards out of the hanger as fast as I can, swerving to avoid the remains of the group of droids. Explosions ring out across the hanger as I zoom forwards. I throw the fighter forwards full speed, whizzing the rest of the way out of the hanger and into space as the cloud of flames and debris expand behind me with increasing speed. The ship shakes from the force of the explosions ringing out nearby.</p><p>"Now, this is Podracing! Whoopee!" I squeal, relieved to finally have a familiar feel to all this. I just Aniya were here, not back on Naboo, probably an extremely dangerous situation and missing all the fun. I have to admit, though, it would have been much harder to do this while squashed together, since moving around wasn't that easy. I can only hope that back on the ground she's fine. And hopefully so are Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Padme, and Jaufre.</p><p>As I zoom away from the ship, with the explosions continuing with increasing fierceness, I spot the remainder of the Naboo craft that lifted out of the hanger earlier. I don't contemplate the fact that the fleet is a lot smaller than the one that left. It's obvious the missing ones were all destroyed. But being the nine-year-old I am, that's far from my first thoughts.</p><p>Behind me, the Trade Federation ship is continuing to blow to pieces. The fleet starts heading back towards Naboo and I follow, since there's no other way I'll know where to land. The explosions on the enormous ship continue, until finally the center of it blows up completely, breaking the remainder of the ship in half, and engulfing it in a cloud of flying debris and flames.</p><p>The Trade Federation is gone. The battle is over. We won.</p><p>And it feels… <em>amazing</em>. Because I <em>know</em> I did it. I saved Naboo. And thousands of people on it.</p><p>Now that I'm finally out of danger, my mind goes back to everyone else. I hope Aniya was able to find somewhere safe to stay until the end of the battle. <em>And that her nightmare didn't happen… </em>A shudder runs through me. I need to get back to the hanger bay as soon as possible and find out what transpired.</p><p>The spaceship glides into the same hanger it blasted out of before and comes to a stop. Looking around, I spot all the pilots already out of their fighters. They're gathered around, talking to each other. Now is when reality sinks in that I shouldn't have been flying that fighter at all. Opening the cockpit, I stand up. "I'm not going to get in trouble, am I?" I ask sheepishly. All the pilots just stare in amazement, completely speechless.</p><p>Unlike Aniya, the attention I'm getting doesn't unnerve me. I'm not exactly used to it, considering we were slaves on Tatooine, but we definitely got quite a bit of attention for being the only humans ever to be in a Pod Race. And, of course, <em>survive</em>. Even if we only won once.</p><p>My gaze darts around the hanger bay, looking for Aniya. Where is she? I don't see her anywhere, or Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, for that matter. What happened to them anyway? And where's Padme and Jaufre? Have they won the battle in the throne room yet? All the droids should be shut down, so they shouldn't be encountering much resistance anymore.</p><p>I climb down the ladder of the fighter, eyes frantically darting around the hanger bay. Just where is my sister? She isn't out here, that much I can tell. Nearby, there's an open door. Somehow, I get the feeling the fight might have carried them in there… but what would Aniya be doing in there? Unless she went in there to stop her nightmare from happening. Of course, she would try to. I just hope she's okay.</p><p>I hurry over to the doorway, stepping inside and looking around. I don't hear anything. Hesitantly, I move forwards across the long walkway. I need to find them. And fast.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. 15 - Duel of Fates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>The Dark Warrior kicks away Obi-Wan and backs through a doorway as Qui-Gon continues to fight him. Obi-Wan runs through after, attacking him again. The being throws Qui-Gon into a nearby wall, but he doesn't let it affect him, attacking it again almost instantly. I skid to a stop near the doorway, stepping over to where I hope I'm out of their sight. At least I need to avoid being seen for now. I hate feeling so… helpless. There's nothing I can do but watch.</p><p>Just a little farther in, it's the place I recognize from my nightmare. Not the room itself, but it has a similar design. Long walkways on many levels crisscross the large building. The only way to get from one to the other is by ladders.</p><p>The fight pauses for a moment before Qui-Gon slashes at the creature again, and it jumps to a different walkway farther back. The Jedi leap after and swing for him again, lightsabers clashing into a saber lock. It breaks seconds later, and the three continue fighting furiously, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan on either side of the creature.</p><p>Fear courses through me as I move forwards through the entrance they just passed through. Their focus is solely on each other, so I can only hope no one notices me here. Everyone left I know is in danger here. Anakin is out in a space battle for the first time in a fighter he doesn't even know how to control. Padme and Jaufre are probably fighting endless droids in the palace as they make their way to the throne room. And unless something changes, Qui-Gon is going to die. He's going to die. The mind-numbing fear continues assaulting me. I already lost one parent. I can't lose the another.</p><p>The power generator room is filled with the sound of clashing lightsabers as the three move so fast I have a hard time keeping track of their movements. The Jedi are attacking it from either side, and he easily parries all their blows. Obi-Wan slashes towards the creature's legs but he blocks the attack right before kicking him off the edge of the walkway.</p><p>"Obi-Wan," I yelp in horror, darting over to the edge of the first walkway as he falls down out of sight. He lands two stories below me, lightsaber clanking to the ground a few feet away as he barely manages to hold on to the side of it. I'm about to run over to him, but then Qui-Gon uses the opportunity of the creature's distraction to knock him off the walkway too.</p><p>The Dark Warrior lands very unceremoniously on his back, nearly stabbing himself with his lightsaber. If only he had. The Jedi jumps after him a second too late. The creature is already standing up and swinging for Qui-Gon. He stumbles back a step before whirling and attacking the creature full force again. The red and green blades continue clashing as they move down the hall. It's not their fight that makes me freeze in horror – it's the location. It leads direction down towards a ray shielded area, the same ray shields that separated him from Obi-Wan, and – no.</p><p>Fear fueling me, I run towards the ladder, scrambling down to the one the fight is continuing on. I can only hope Obi-Wan will be fine. He was in my dream, so he should be now. Whatever happens, I can't lose them. <em>Either</em> of them.</p><p>Below me, Obi-Wan picks up his dropped lightsaber and jumps back onto the walkway with the fighting pair, running as fast as he can to catch up. The image that I've seen too many times in my nightmares. They move closer and closer to the ray shields, and I get the impression that the Dark Warrior is intentionally leading them there for some reason. He's being pushed on the defensive far too easily for how well he was fighting with them both moments ago.</p><p>I finally reach the ladder and start climbing down as fast as I can, tightly gripping the sides to keep myself from falling. Now would not be a good time to fall. I need to get over there. Fast. I try not to look around to prevent myself from seeing the dangerously long drops on either side of the walkway. The fight disappears into the hall, and seconds later, I hear the ray shields start closing. Obi-Wan skids to a stop just inside the first as I simultaneously jump off the ladder down the walkway.</p><p>I take off at top speed down the path. The dark warrior is all the way inside the lasers, pacing back and forth impatiently as he watches, waiting for them to turn off. Just like he did in my dream. Qui-Gon is in front of the last one, kneeling on the floor in a meditative position. Obi-Wan stands right inside the first. The Dark Warrior's yellow eyes lock with mine for a moment, and I hastily look away, a shiver running through me. I really didn't want him to notice me.</p><p>I dart over to the control box next to the ray shields, scanning over it. I need to get this thing deactivated. Quickly. My eyes scan over it until I'm certain I know which the right ones are. My hands work over the controls, determination surging through me. I have to get these off.</p><p>Obi-Wan suddenly turns around, eyes falling on me. "Aniya, what are you doing?!" he exclaims, "You were supposed to be hiding!"</p><p>"Trying to disconnect these. I need to focus," I retort, eyes narrowing on the controls. <em>Please let this work, please let this work</em>, I chant over and over in my head. The ray shields open of their own again. Qui-Gon lunges to attack the Dark Warrior, and Obi-Wan races forwards, with one last annoyed glance at me that tells me I'll definitely be hearing about it later. Oh, well.</p><p>Finally, I manage to get the wires disconnect, just as the laser walls are starting to shut again. They snap open with a hiss, not moving again. I step over, looking down the hall.</p><p>Obi-Wan runs into the main room, joining the battling opponents. The Jedi are on either side of him, lightsabers clashing incessantly as the fight travels around the room, avoiding the pit in the center. I edge along the wall off the hall. If something else happens in here, I want to be there to help however I can.</p><p>The Jedi attack him on either side again. Even with both of them fighting him, he's managing to keep their blades at bay. And I can tell that Qui-Gon is slowly tiring. The battle continues to travel around the circle.</p><p>There's just the cold and fear flooding me as I watch the battle, the agonizing uncertainty of one of the people I love most dying. Everything just feels cold – it's pouring off the creature in waves of dark energy I can feel but not see, it's surging through me, everywhere. I brace myself against the wall when I realize I'm shaking, and there's only one thought screaming through my mind. Don't let him die, please don't let him die, not either of them.</p><p>As they continue fighting, a stray swing of Obi-Wan's blade cuts through the center of the creature's. One half rolls away across the floor, leaving him with only one to defend against them. The being's eyes narrow, and he suddenly throws out a hand, sending Obi-Wan flying across the room, slipping over the edge of the pit.</p><p>"Obi-Wan!" I cry as panic overwhelms me. I don't care if I just gave my location away. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that Obi-Wan's probably dead unless he managed to catch onto something inside there. Please tell me he did.</p><p>The Dark Warrior attacks Qui-Gon full strength, putting him on the defensive instantly. As their blades lock, the creature reaches, his other lightsaber flying back to his grasp and igniting. The Sith swings the other blade down to stab him.</p><p>I freeze for a split second, images of my nightmares replaying through my mind. No, no, no! Horror and desperation explode inside of me, and I throw up my hands instinctively, not really thinking. The Dark Warrior flies backwards from the invisible force slamming into him, falling down into the pit. There's a crash as he hits the wall on the other side, then nothing.</p><p>I lower my hands, blinking at them in shock. What did I just do? Qui-Gon spins around, a stunned expression on his face. Obi-Wan jumps out of the pit, and I let out a sigh of relief at the sight of him. He's alright. They're both alright. And the Dark Warrior is long gone down the endless pit with no way to get out. I suddenly feel exhausted now that everything's over.</p><p>I run over to Qui-Gon and throw my arms around him. "You were supposed to stay in the hanger," he chides, but hugs me back anyway. After a few moments, I pull away and hurry over to Obi-Wan and hug him too.</p><p>"How did I do that?" I ask them finally.</p><p>"You used the Force," Qui-Gon informs, "As I've seen you do subconsciously other times."</p><p>Just then, approaching footsteps draw everyone's gaze to the door to see Anakin running towards us. "Ani!" I exclaim, letting out a sigh of relief to see him safe. My brother pulls me into his arms.</p><p>"At least someone is good at following directions," Obi-Wan remarks from behind us.</p><p>"Going into outer space is called following directions better than staying on the ground?" I demand, spinning around.</p><p>"What?!" Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan both exclaim.</p><p>"Um…. I accidently put the ship on autopilot," Anakin attempts to explain, "But I blew up the Federation ship so everyone's fine."</p><p>"We better get back out to the hanger and see what the situation is," decides Qui-Gon finally, motioning for us to follow him as he heads for the door.</p><p>**w**</p><p>Now that all the action is over, I have time to reflect on everything that's transpired over the past… has it only been a week? Despite missing Mom terribly, I'm finally beginning to get a strange sense of belonging again. I actually feel as though I'm meant to be here. With Qui-Gon. And Obi-Wan.</p><p>It's really hard to believe it's just later in the afternoon of the day we won the battle. The sun is shining brightly, and I wonder for a second if it ever gets cloudy and rains here. It's almost sad that in a few days, we'll be going and probably never see it again.</p><p>"It was the most exciting thing I've been through," Anakin informs me cheerfully, "You should have been there."</p><p>"Well, you were supposed to stay here," I remind, "Not blast off into space."</p><p>"At least I stayed in the cockpit," he argues, "You got out."</p><p>"But I stayed on the ground," I retort. "That's much less dangerous."</p><p>"Much less dangerous than trailing people in a lightsaber battle?" Anakin shoots back.</p><p>"Actually, yes, because at least I wasn't taking part in the battle," I retort.</p><p>"I seem to remember hearing you're the one who threw the Sith down the pit?"</p><p>"You're impossible," I groan. Anakin's reply is cut off as we follow Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to the ship where the newly elected Chancellor Palpatine just got off. All four of us bow, and he stops in front of us with an almost-pleased expression. Thankfully, I don't feel the wary feeling half as strong as I did the first time. Still though, I think something is slightly off. I shake it off pretty quickly once he starts talking.</p><p>"We are indebted to you for your bravery, Jinn and Kenobi," he states with a smile before turning to Anakin and me. "And you, young Skywalkers. We will watch you both with great interest." Anakin sends me a slight surprised glance. I'm just staring at Palpatine in completely shock. Seriously. I can't believe we've actually been acknowledged by the new leader of the galaxy. And just a week ago, we were nothing. I can't quite comprehend how our lives have made a complete turn-around in the past week. I'm actually not even sure how to react. How do you talk to the Chancellor, anyway?</p><p>Palpatine then walks past us to Padme, who finally is dressed like the Queen she is. Though honestly, I don't see how she could stand to walk around wearing that. Maybe that's a secret reason she always has someone else wear it instead. As he addresses her, Masters Yoda, Windu, and several others disembark from the ship. We bow and a quick exchange of greetings goes between the Jedi.</p><p>"Congratulations on your election, Chancellor. It is so good to see you again," I hear Padme saying.</p><p>"It's good to be home," Chancellor Palpatine replies, "Your boldness has saved our people, Your Majesty. It is you who should be congratulated. Together we shall bring peace and prosperity to the Republic." We can only hope so. Somehow, through any possible sadness I'm feeling, I can already see a better and brighter future for both of us. Now I know exactly why Anakin and I were feeling something would change a lifetime ago. What that really only last week?</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Jaufre Naberrie</span>
</p><p>"Ani!" I call, hurrying over to the twins. Now that the battle is over, I think it's time for us to make sure everyone we know is safe.</p><p>"Jaufre?" Anakin calls excitedly, turning around.</p><p>"I heard about your glorious expedition into space and blowing up the Trade Federation ship," I remark. It's truly impressive that he managed something not even an entire fleet of experienced pilots could think of. I don't know how he did it, but I'm truly grateful.</p><p>"Well we just have the way of doing the most unexpected things sometimes," suggests Aniya.</p><p>"And I definitely heard about you defeating a Sith which even two Jedi couldn't," I add with a smirk.</p><p>Anakin looks past me, eyes falling on someone else. "Hi Padme," he calls happily.</p><p>"Hi," she greets them before moving forwards to stand beside me. "We owe you a debt of gratitude for your efforts to save Naboo. We could never have won of you hadn't intervened."</p><p>"You did awesome," I congratulate, "I really hope this makes the Council reconsider not training you."</p><p>The twins look a little overwhelmed. I suppose they've probably never been thanked like that before. It's not surprising with the life they've lived. No one deserves a life like that.</p><p>"But if they still refuse, you're most definitely welcome with us," I add. Honestly, if not for their sakes, since I know they really want to become Jedi, I'd wish they could stay here on Naboo with us. Even though we've only known each other for several days, we've gotten pretty close. We owe it to them to at least take care of them if we have the chance. Incidents like this tend to give bonding moments, what can I say?</p><p>"Thank you," Anakin says grateful. Aniya nods beside him.</p><p>"We'll have a parade celebrating our victory in a few days," Padme informs them, "Until then, you can stay at the palace here."</p><p>"The palace?!" exclaims Aniya excitedly.</p><p>"Yes, the palace," I repeat, then smirk, "But you'll just have to excuse any holes in the walls. We blasted up the main halls pretty badly, and they'll take some time to fix up."</p><p>A short distance away, I notice Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan heading off with some of the other Jedi. "We should go join them," Anakin says, nudging his sister. They take off running after him.</p><p>"I received word our family is fine," Padme tells us as they disappear from sight, "But I'm pretty sure Mom is never gonna let you hang around me when something this dangerous is happening ever again."</p><p>"Let's just hope there won't be a next time," I chirp, a sigh of relief escaping me. The battle is over. Many lives have been lost, but at the end of the day, we won.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p><p>This was not the climax! ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. 16 - Grasp of the Beast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am not sorry for the horrible cliffhanger at the end. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Qui-Gon Jinn</span>
</p><p>"The Council has made its decision," Master Windu announces. It's later in the afternoon now, and the sun will be setting soon. Masters Yoda and Windu called me aside to talk about the future of the twins. "The Skywalkers will not be trained."</p><p>"You won't let them be trained?" I repeat incredulously. I'll admit that I doubted they were going to change their minds, but after it was proven the Sith are still around, it would be stupid to leave such powerful children untrained. The possibility of the Sith getting ahold of them, especially now that they've already attracted so much attention, is far too obvious.</p><p>"They are far too attached to each other," Windu replies coldly. "They could never be proper Jedi."</p><p>"Much anger in them, there is," Yoda insists.</p><p>"Can you not sense that the boy is the Chosen One?" I demand indignantly. "With the Sith back, it would be dangerous to leave them untrained!"</p><p>"Discussed this before, we did," responds Yoda, "Clouded, their futures are."</p><p>"If you refuse to let them be trained, I will take them as my padawan learners," I inform them, decision made. "By fighting the Sith, Obi-Wan has proved he is ready to become a Knight."</p><p>"Consider knighting Obi-Wan, we will," agrees the grandmaster, "But train the Skywalker twins you will not."</p><p>"Regardless, you can't take two padawans," Windu retorts stubbornly. It's obvious that they're set on their decision. Regardless of what I have to say, they aren't going to change their minds. Why do they always have to be so difficult? They're too stuck on tradition, hardly worrying anymore about what the Force wants.</p><p>"It was the will of the Force that led me to them," I argue, my anger steadily rising. "Besides, they have nowhere else to go."</p><p>"Perhaps we could send them back to Tatooine," Master Windu suggests. Send that back to Tatooine? Who knows what could happen to them there! This is starting to get out of hand. How could he even think of something as stupid as that?</p><p>"We can't do that," I retort, "The Sith likely already know where they are. If not us, who is to protect them?"</p><p>"The Force," Windu states. "Otherwise, we could let them live untrained at the Temple. Or send them to the AgriCorps." Neither are happening. I'm not going to just abandon them like that. They already left everything behind to become Jedi.</p><p>"If you refuse to let me train them while in the Order, I will leave to do so," I decide finally. I'm certain Obi-Wan will become a knight anyway. I need to talk to him about all of this, to explain my reason for leaving. He likely might want to join us. Besides, there are some… matters we need to sort out.</p><p>"You cannot be serious, Qui-Gon," Windu protests.</p><p>"I have made my decision," I reply flatly. I'm going to follow what the Force wants me to do, regardless of what they have to say. "If you will not stand by the will of the Force, then I will."</p><p>"Regrettable, your decision is, but no other choice can we make," Yoda asserts. Really, he supposed to be the Grandmaster. Can't he see that this is the wrong decision?</p><p>"I renounce my title as Jedi Master. I am leaving the Order," I declare.</p><p>"Welcome to return, you will always be," Yoda murmurs.</p><p>I nod stiffly, turning and walking out of the room, intentionally refraining from bowing. They aren't worthy of the level of respect everyone always gives them. I realize it now. They've lost their way. <em>Especially</em> now that the Sith have returned, the Jedi will need to change their path. They won't allow any room for change, even with the changing times.</p><p>Obi-Wan is pacing back and forth a short distance outside the room. The twins are waiting next to a window, watching outside. They turn towards me when I walk up, looking almost hopeful. I take a deep breath, unwilling to meet those hopeful gazes. "Obi-Wan, I need to talk to you."</p><p>We move several paces away, far enough that we're no longer in earshot. "Master, what is it?" he asks, and I can sense his apprehension. He no doubt already knows what the Council has decided.</p><p>"Do you remember when you left the Order on Melida/Daan?" I ask, the question more rhetorical than anything else. I know he remembers that time well.</p><p>"Yes," he replies slowly, narrowing his eyes.</p><p>"I was… not pleased at the time," I admit, knowing that it's important for Obi-Wan to understand this, much as I dislike expressing my thoughts on the matter, "But I think it was important for you, because you have become an even greater Jedi as a result. Sometimes, to do the right thing, we must go against the Council in pursuit of what the Force wills."</p><p>"Master, please tell me you're not planning to train the twins regardless of the Council's desires," Obi-Wan all but pleads. "They'll never be accepted as Jedi if the Council hasn't sanctioned it."</p><p>I shake my head. "No," I say, obviously surprising him. "The Council is considering sending them back to Tatooine, and you know what that will mean for their future. I wish to leave the Order to see that they are able to achieve their destinies."</p><p>Obi-Wan gapes at me in a stunned silence. "Back to – they would be enslaved again, or worse, the Sith would find them! How can the Council do that? What could they hope to gain?"</p><p>"Yes," I agree, "And that is why I intend to leave the Order. If the Council is willing to condone such actions, then I cannot remain a Jedi, not in such direct defiance of the Force's will." I pause, searching his face. "Obi-Wan, I would be honored if you would join us. The twins adore you, and while I will accept your decision if you wish to remain a Jedi, I will miss you."</p><p>"Master –" His voice trails off, his eyes flitting down the ground. "I – I need to think about it."</p><p>"Of course. I would expect nothing less, but if you could come while I break the news?" I throw him a pleading look, not that he sees it. It will be so hard to tell them because I know it will break their hearts.</p><p>Obi-Wan nods, and we turn to rejoin the twins who are anxiously – and eagerly – awaiting the news, though from the look on Anakin's face, I suspect that because of his sensitivity, he already realizes the truth even if he doesn't want to admit it.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>"The Council has determined that their decision stands," Qui-Gon informs us grimly. For a moment, I want to believe that I just heard him wrong. This whole time, I'd been harboring a glimmer of hope that maybe, <em>maybe </em>they'd change their minds about this, especially after how Anakin and I helped win the battle on Naboo. It's almost like when they first told us their decision. I thought they'd change their mind… but now we know for certain there's no way our dreams will ever come true. There's nothing we can do. They – how could they do this? Anakin won the battle, and it was <em>me</em> who defeated a Sith where a Jedi Master couldn't even do it.</p><p>"But… <em>why</em>?" I demand finally, struggling not to burst into tears.</p><p>"They believe, as they said before, that you are too old and too attached to each other to become Jedi," Qui-Gon explains.</p><p>I can feel the pain raiding from my brother, and I shift a little closer to him, attempting to offer whatever comfort I can. "What will happen to us now?" Anakin asks finally, voice shaking.</p><p>"I will train you, Ani," Qui-Gon assures us, crouching so we're more at eye-level.</p><p>"Even without their permission, we could become Jedi?" I query skeptically. I don't want to dare get hope again, only for it to be squashed.</p><p>He exchanges a glance with Obi-Wan who stands a short distance away. "You won't become Jedi," he answers, "But you will still be trained. I'm leaving the Order to train you."</p><p>Both my brother and I freeze for a moment. He'd really leave them <em>just</em> for us? I'm hardly sure how to react or what to say. My eyes dart over to Obi-Wan, standing nearby. He hasn't said anything yet, and I can't help but wish he'd come too. I don't want to ask him, though. It's hardly fair to ask him to give up his life as a Jedi just for us. We're not worth it. But I can't help but wish.</p><p>"Then… where will we stay?" I ask finally, suddenly remembering Jaufre's offer. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we stayed there, but I need to make sure.</p><p>"The victory parade is going to be tomorrow morning," Obi-Wan tells us. "You'll be staying overnight at the palace."</p><p>The next morning comes quickly. Even with the news that Qui-Gon is going to train us, I still can't shake the melancholy feeling that's settled over me. We're still being trained, but our actual lifelong dream of becoming Jedi will never happen. But at the same time, maybe we can still help people, like we always wanted. And we won't have to worry about anyone telling us that we shouldn't be so "attached" to each other. What does that even mean, anyway? Plus, maybe we'll be able to see Mom again. I don't know.</p><p>I turn my attention to the parade as I walk alongside Anakin, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan. <em>Focus on the here and now, like Qui-Gon has said. </em>I don't want to be attending the parade acting miserable when everyone else is happy.</p><p>We're standing a short distance away from Padme, Jaufre, Chancellor Palpatine, and the Jedi Council. The sight of them nearly ruins my lifting spirits. Whether being trained only by Qui-Gon outside of the Order will be better or not, I still can't shake the stinging feel of rejection. Why aren't we good enough for them?</p><p>Today is a bright sunny day. It's truly beautiful, absolutely nothing like Tatooine. It's very hard to believe that just two days ago, this peaceful planet was at war. I'm disappointed that will probably be the last day we're here. Well, unless we end up staying on Naboo to be trained. I never even thought to ask Qui-Gon about that part. I didn't think ahead about it much, until right now.</p><p>If Mom can come stay with us, and maybe if Obi-Wan joins us as well, perhaps not becoming Jedi won't be as bad as I was afraid of. Well, I better not let myself dream too much about a future that might never be. Anakin and I have had enough disappoints for a lifetime these past couple days.</p><p>Boss Nass rides down the street on large animals that I've never seen before along with Jar Jar – I'm really happy to see him alive and am honestly a little surprised he managed to survive the battle – and another Gungan. Hundreds of their species surround them, marching down the street blowing horns and beating drums. A line of them marches in the front, holding flags. Ships swoop by overhead as confetti is thrown down from the balconies overhead.</p><p>Boss Nass dismounts and as Jar Jar tries to climb down from atop his mount, his foot gets caught in the stirrup and he nearly falls over trying to pull it free. "How embarrassing," I whisper to my brother, trying not to laugh. He smothers a giggle next to me.</p><p>With Boss Nass in the front and Jar Jar and the other Gungan close behind, they ascend the steps to where the rest of us are gathered. Padme – who's dressed up as Queen Amidala again - steps forwards. She takes the Globe of Peace, a glowing blue orb, from Naboo's governor and passing it to Boss Nass.</p><p>The crowd cheers widely as he raises it above his head. Jar Jar throws his arms in the air and shrieks with excitement. Typical. Everyone seems happy, despite all those who died a couple days ago in battle. This marks a new beginning for all of Naboo. Hopefully, an era of peace is beginning for us all.</p><p>Surprisingly, Padme glances over at the two of us. I give her a slightly shy smile. Seeing her as the queen makes me feel annoyingly shy all of a sudden, as opposed to when she's just dressed as a handmaiden, but I shouldn't be surprised. Suddenly being acknowledged by so many important people is a bit overwhelming. Anakin gives her a half-smile too, which she returns.</p><p>Hopefully, the new beginning everyone is enjoying will also soon include Anakin and myself. Maybe we'll finally be able to leave our lives as slaves behind and move on.</p><p>**w**</p><p>Something's wrong. It doesn't make sense – considering the battle's over – but I can't get rid of this distinct sense of danger that permeates the entire area. I've been dozing on and off all night. Anakin is across the room from me in his own bed, so I shouldn't be having such a hard time sleeping. I can't shake the feeling something's wrong, and what happened yesterday is probably worsening the feeling. Suddenly a distinct feeling of dread sets over me, and I open my eyes to see a figure moving towards us.</p><p>It's – no, that's impossible. He's dead. He was! I blink, half expecting him to disappear as if he was just a figment of my imagination. It would make sense since I've never killed anyone before and it's only logical to give me nightmares, but the figure is still there stalking straight towards me.</p><p>I open my mouth to scream but, in a flash, he's at my bedside, clamping a hand over my mouth. The same strange cold feeling I've gotten twice so far – once when we first got to Coruscant and again when I was watching the fight with the Sith – wraps around me. I feel a presence pressing against my mind, as I struggle to pull away from him. A wave of unexplained sleepiness washes over me.</p><p>No, this is crazy. I do <em>not</em> want to go to sleep when there's a Sith standing beside me. I thrash around, trying to pull away, but after a few moments I find myself unwillingly succumbing to the darkness.</p><p>I don't know how long later it is that I wake up, but all I know is I'm not where I'm supposed to be. The second thing I become aware of is that I'm not alone. Raw panic floods me as I my last memories flash through my mind again, and I hit out blindly.</p><p>"Ani! Calm down, it's me!" A hand grabs my wrist, pulling it down to the floor.</p><p>"Ani?" I ask, blinking upwards, straining to see through the darkness. Anakin crouches over me, fear radiating off him. I push myself into a sitting position, moving to sit beside him. our intertwined hands rest between us. "What happened?"</p><p>"I don't know," he says. I can't see him very well, but I can sense the fear and uncertainty pouring of him in waves. "I tried to contact Obi-Wan through our bond, but I don't know if it worked."</p><p>I scoot over until I'm leaning against him, trying to draw comfort from his presence as much as giving it. I have no idea where we are or what's going to happen, never mind the question of if the Jedi will ever be able to find us here. Whatever is going to happen, I can only be glad I'm not alone.</p><p>"We have to get out of here," Anakin insists after a long moment of silence. "We can't just wait for someone to find us."</p><p>"I don't think anyone would even know how to find us," I mutter. A sudden thought hits me. What if we're not even on Naboo anymore? I have no idea how long I was sleeping, and it's not impossible we were moved elsewhere. I can only hope we weren't. Wait. The floor. It's vibrating. <em>Vibrating</em>. And I can hear engines… <em>No!</em> We're in hyperspace. He took us off the planet and is taking us to who-knows-where.</p><p>The sudden fear I sense from Anakin tells me he just realized the same thing. "How are they ever going to find us?" he whispers.</p><p>"They won't." Icy tendrils of dread wrap around me, and I move to bury my face in my brother's shoulder, not wanting to look. Not like I can see anything anyway, it's too dark. That stupid Sith Lord had the courtesy to leave us in pitch darkness. Literally. And I very much doubt the Council will even bother trying to find us given the circumstances. At least I certainly don't have hope they will. And how much could Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan do alone?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. 17 - Into the Shaft</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I bet most of you probably won't expect what happens in this chapter. Lol.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>I hadn't even realized I started dozing off again – which means it must still be nighttime – until there's a sudden noise and light floods my vision. I blink a few times, squinting as my eyes slowly adjust to the sudden light. The Dark Warrior – the same one that kidnapped us – stands in the doorway.</p><p>"Come." His voice doesn't sound nearly as frightening as he looks, but the tone he says it in leaves no room for arguing. Anakin and I exchange tenuous glances. Seeing we don't have a choice, we slowly follow him out of the room. Sure enough, we're in a spaceship. A much smaller one than I've ever seen.</p><p>I know it's stupid, but the panic overwhelming me prevents me from thinking logically. We bolt.</p><p>An invisible force suddenly slams into me, knocking us to the floor. Before I make it back to my feet again, I hear the Sith behind us. He grabs my arm before I can try to run again. "Let go of me!" I yell. He tries to yank me into the next room, but I kick him as hard as I can without losing my balance and bite his arm.</p><p>The next thing I know, I'm flying through the air before slamming into the nearby wall. The world spins around me as I fall to the floor. Groaning softly, I raise my head at the sound of a scuffle. Anakin suddenly yelps, stumbling away from the Sith he just hit. I'm not going to ask how, but it seems he somehow managed to hit his arm on the Sith's horns.</p><p>I stand up, trying to ignore the dizziness that overwhelms me once more at the movement. The Sith grabs us both and drags us over to the exit ramp of the shuttle we're in, ignoring our failed escape attempts. Not that it matters now, though, I realize miserably. We're not even on Naboo anymore. The temperature already seems to have risen, but it's so… <em>cold</em>. Nearly tangible darkness swirls around us.</p><p>A large building with a short staircase going down leading down a walkway to a door lies in front of us. The doors slide open as we approach, allowing us to enter. I glance around before the door slams slides behind us, knowing it might be best if we at least have some sort of idea what type of planet this is. The sky is dark, and a strange orange glow is cast across everything. What kind of planet is this, even? Now that I think about it, the whole planet seems weirdly dreary and dark.</p><p>Trying to escape again now is going to be futile. Instead, I look around, keeping a close eye on where in the building we're going. It may come in useful before we know it. And, of course, Anakin and I continue pointlessly struggling, just to give the Sith a hard time if nothing else.</p><p>I can feel the nearly tangible darkness swirling around us as we come to the stop at the top of the stairs. His Sith Master must be waiting for us here. Dread increases inside of me as we near our destination. Whoever his Sith Master is, he must be far eviler than him if even I can sense the darkness this clearly. What does he want with us?</p><p>A panicked squeak escapes me, and I jerk again, trying in vain to free myself. All I want to do right now is run, even though it's pointless.</p><p>The Sith apprentice – who's name I still don't know – waves a hand, and the door in front of him slides open to reveal an eerily lit room. I just want to run away from here as fast as I can, but I get the feeling that being uncooperative right now may have serious consequences. So, instead, I silently follow the Sith into the room. The coldness wrapping around me is unbearable, and I'm not certain I'll be able to avoid emptying the contents of my stomach all over the floor.</p><p>A dark-robed figure, but this time with his hood off, stands a couple yards from the door. For a second, I dare to lift my gaze from the floor to look at him. He's about as tall as an average human, with a tall skinny head. I think he might be a Muun. Yellow eyes stare coldly down at me and my brother. A shiver runs through me, and I quickly avert my gaze. And here I thought meeting the Council was frightening.</p><p>"They are here, as you requested, Master," the Sith apprentice states. An unbearable silence settles over the room for a long moment. I just want to disappear.</p><p>"I've been waiting to meet you," the Sith Master murmurs with relish.</p><p>As I look at him, my fear slowly starts giving way to anger, boiling inside me. After I lost Mom, <em>he</em> – whoever he is, exactly – took us from the closest person to a father we've ever known. "What do you want?" I demand, despite my better judgement.</p><p>"Merely to talk to you," replies the Sith.</p><p>"Talk?!" Anakin and I chorus disbelievingly.</p><p>"Yes," he agrees.</p><p>I want to back away – to just get out of here – but there's no way off the planet. I just want Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to come rescue us… but would they? A small part of me wonders if it would be better if they didn't. After all, if not for us, they'd both still be Jedi. Qui-Gon left his life for us. Plus, I doubt the Council would come for us. A sense of almost bitterness hits me when I think about them. They didn't want us before, and <em>this</em> is what happened. I doubt they'd come for us now. I thought after leaving Tatooine, we wouldn't always be considered <em>just expendable</em> anymore, apparently, I was wrong. We still are. To everyone.</p><p>"So… you hoped to become Jedi?" He says the last word with complete disdain. I shift uncomfortably, eyes focused on the floor, not answering his question. He already knows the answer anyway, so what is there to say?</p><p>"Answer me," he hisses when neither of speak.</p><p>"Yes," Anakin says finally.</p><p>"And why is that?" he demands. He sounds far too smug, indicating this is going exactly how he wants.</p><p>"Because they're heroes, unlike you," I blurt out, instantly regretting it. I don't need to make this worse for us.</p><p>For some reason, he chuckles. "So misled. Just like the rest of the galaxy. The Jedi are no heroes." I feel a dark presence brush against my mind for a moment, and I instinctively flinch away from it, shuddering. "Did you know that they once tried to slaughter all the Sith simply for the crime of existing?"</p><p>Neither of us answer.</p><p>After a pause, he continues. "Perhaps it's best if you don't become Jedi. They will never let you see your mother. They won't even do anything to free her or get her off a dangerous planet like Tatooine. And they would never accept the attachment you have for each other. They would keep you separated as much as they could." As much as I hate to admit it, I can't deny there's some truth in his words. But I cannot let myself listen to what he says. He's just trying to deceive us. Trying to turn us against the Jedi. For that matter, how does he know where our mother is? Or that she's still a slave there? For an unexplainable reason, I have a very bad feeling about that.</p><p>"Both of you would be much better off as Sith. You would learn to embrace your emotions, not shun them." he continues. Again, we don't say a word. I get the feeling it would be best to be quiet. I don't want to say something stupid and get myself in trouble. I'd rather not know how he'd react if we made him angry.</p><p>"For tonight, you will remain in your cell," decides the Sith Master, "But soon you shall begin your training as my apprentices." He turns to the others. "Maul, take them away."</p><p>Maul shoves us out of the room, and this time, we willingly go with him. It's a relief to be away from the other Sith. I feel like I can finally breathe in peace again without fear of him sensing my every thought and emotion. And maybe now we'll have a chance at escaping. We cannot stay here any longer. We have to get out before tomorrow.</p><p>Neither of us try to do anything until we reach the bottom floor. I don't want to risk the other Sith realizing we're trying to escape. Maul waves a hand, opening the door to a room and pushing us forwards.</p><p>Nearly on impulse, and as a last second thought, I stick out my foot, tripping him onto his face. Not expecting the sudden move, he crashes to the floor. Anakin slams his hand down on the control button, locking Maul inside. Whirling around, we bolt up the stairs.</p><p>"We can't just keep running around blindly hoping to find an exit," Anakin grumbles as we race around another turn in the hallway. Panic fuels me as we continue running through the halls. They can't catch us again. They can't. We have to get out before Maul warns the other Sith Lord of our flight, and he comes to look for us too. The last thing I want to do is be caught by him while trying to escape.</p><p>I can hear footsteps pursuing us not far behind as we race around another corner. I have absolutely no idea where we are, but I have yet to see any door that looks like it goes outside. Well, as long as we don't get cornered, maybe it's to our advantage that we don't know our way around. So we just run – instead of pondering where to go next.</p><p>"I know," I hiss back, "Maybe we need to find somewhere to hide." Somewhere that Maul can't find us. But he can feel us in the Force so… Maybe we need to go somewhere that he can't reach us.</p><p>"This way, maybe," Anakin mutters, pulling me through a nearby doorway.</p><p>"We can't like, see anything in here," I hiss as I push a button to shut the door behind us. It's too dark. Any light that would be coming in from outside is blocked by the curtains pulled over the windows.</p><p>"How about up there?" suggests Anakin as our eyes begin to adjust the extreme darkness of the low-ceilinged room. I follow his gaze to see he's looking up at the large vent on the ceiling.</p><p>"Into the ventilation shaft?!" I exclaim in a whisper, "How do you even expect to get up there?" Maul would never be able to follow us in there, but the only question is how to get up there before he finds us in here.</p><p>Anakin frowns glancing around the room. "I have an idea," I suggest suddenly, as my eyes fall on nearby high stool. "Let's use that to climb up there."</p><p>He nods in agreement and we grab the stool, dragging it over and positioning it below the vent. I can hear footsteps far too rapidly approaching this room. We need to get going before the Sith arrive. Fear and tension wrap around us, but we don't have time to stop. We need to keep moving.</p><p>"You go first," he orders. I climb onto the stool, precariously balancing myself standing on top as I reach up and try to get the vent cover disconnected. With an altogether too loud rattle and clang, I manage to pull it free and pass it down to Anakin, nearly losing my balance in the process and crashing to the floor. <em>Now is not the time to be clumsy, Aniya</em>, I chide myself.</p><p>Grabbing ahold of the edges of the opening, I pull myself up into the pitch-black tunnel up above. I raise my head slightly, only to slam it into the top of the vent.</p><p>"Ow," I mumble, rubbing my head as I pear down, watching worriedly as Anakin climbs onto the school. Maul is almost to the door. I can feel it without having to hear.</p><p>The door slides open just as Anakin scrambles into the shaft. I turn and wordlessly begin crawling as fast as I can down the tunnel with Anakin right behind. I can hear Maul moving around in the room below. I'm sure he'll have figured out within seconds where we went. And hopefully he won't decide it's a good idea to start cutting through the ceiling with his lightsaber. I don't think he'd do that considering he could accidently hurt us, but there's no way to know with Sith.</p><p>I blindly crawl through the tunnel, having absolutely no idea where we're heading. All I know is that we need to get out of here. "We need to find another exit that's near a door or something," mumbles Anakin worriedly from behind me, "Before they find us."</p><p>"I know," I grumble as I take a random turn into one of the branches of the tunnel. I have no idea what this place looks like, or if we're just getting into a more dangerous place. And we're here on our own. How did we ever manage to get ourselves kidnapped by crazy Sith Lords obsessed with our power?</p><p>Finally, I see a glimmer of light illuminating the tunnel up ahead. I hasten my speed, crawling more quickly to the location. I can feel the darkness swirling nearby, but hopefully this will lead to a way out. Crawling up to the vent, I look down, freezing in horror for a moment as I see the Sith Master crossing the hall down below us.</p><p>"Anakin!" I hiss as quietly as I can.</p><p>"What?" he whispers back.</p><p>"We need to get out of here!"</p><p>"That's what we're trying to do!"</p><p>"<em>No!</em> I mean, the Sith is right below us."</p><p>"Oh," he breathes, "Let's go back the other way. Now." He quickly begins backing down the shaft in the opposite direction. I can't shake the feeling that this is about to backfire terribly.</p><p>Just then, I hear the sound of a lightsaber activating below us right before a red blade pieces the shaft right in front of us.</p><p>***</p><p>
  <span class="u">Qui-Gon Jinn</span>
</p><p>I don't know exactly what woke me, but the Force is humming with danger. And it's focused around Anakin and Aniya. What could be wrong?</p><p>I quickly sit up, looking around the darkened bedroom. Obi-Wan is just sitting up in his bed on the other side of the room. What? Does he sense something also?</p><p>"Master, I think something's happening to the twins," Obi-Wan says, concern lacing his voice.</p><p>I tense instantly. So, he does sense it too.</p><p>"Anakin just called me through the Force," Obi-Wan continues, "Something is clearly wrong."</p><p>We hurry out into the quiet hall of the palace, crossing it to where the twin's bedroom is. The first thing I realize is that the two beds in the room are empty. Taking a step further into the room, I realize next that the window is open. Big enough for someone to have come in… and out. Probably while carrying two children also.</p><p>I can still sense the lingering feel of a dark being. It was here, but it's already gone. I recognize the presence, too. It's the same as the being we fought in the power generator room. He survived. Somehow, he survived, and came back. Only he's gone now, and he's taken the twins with him.</p><p>"The Sith took them," I realize, a sense of icy dread curling around me. And this is <em>exactly </em>what I was warning the Council about. I just didn't expect them to try anything this serious so soon.</p><p>"We should notify security," Obi-Wan decides, sprinting out of the room.</p><p>Within minutes, all the security in the area has been warned about the missing twins. In the meantime, Obi-Wan and I look around to see if we can find any leads ourselves. Just as I expected, no one comes up with anything. When reaching into the Force, Anakin and Aniya's presences feel very far away. From the feel of it, they were probably already taken off planet. Who knows where in the galaxy they could be now?</p><p>Obi-Wan and I are preparing to meditate – again – in hopes of getting a clue as to where the twins may have been taken when my commlink beeps. I'm almost tempted to ignore it when I see who's calling but reminding myself that they may have news of the twins, I reluctantly answer.</p><p>A hologram of Yoda and Windu appear. "Yes?" I ask, not quite bothering to keep the annoyance out of my voice. This whole mess is partly their fault, after all. If they hadn't been being so stubborn and ignoring the will of the Force, it more than likely wouldn't have happened.</p><p>"We heard the news about the disappearance of the Skywalker twins," Windu states. Obviously. I'm sure everyone has.</p><p>"Search for them, we shall," Yoda declares.</p><p>"If you had agreed to let them become Jedi, this could have been avoided from the start," I point out snidely. "We would have already left for Coruscant, and I did warn you something like this might happen."</p><p>"A mistake, we have made," Yoda murmurs.</p><p>"Perhaps after we find them, we can allow them to remain at the Temple without being trained in order to protect them," Windu proposes. As if that's going to fix the damage that's already been done. Who knows what's happened to the twins in the time they've been kidnapped? There's no way to know what the Sith are even planning to do with them.</p><p>"We can discuss it when we find them," I reply curtly. Now is hardly the appropriate time.</p><p>Winu nods. "For now, we will focus our efforts on trying to find them." I end the call there, not waiting for a response. Now, after what I warned them about already happened, they are finally starting to reconsider their decision.</p><p>Just as the call disconnects, my commlink promptly beeps again. The holographic figure that flickers to life when I answer is the last person I ever expected to call right now.</p><p>Dooku. We haven't talked to each other in a while now.</p><p>"Yes, Master?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
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        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. 18 - Sith Lord Babysitter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Two more chapters and an epilogue to go for this book! :)</p><p>Thank you all so much for the favorites, kudos, and reviews!!! :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>The lightsaber continues to cut in a circle around Aniya and me. Neither of us move for fear of accidentally getting stabbed or something if we do. We're stuck here. There is no way out of this. We're about to get caught, and I really, <em>really</em> don't want to know what will happen to us now.</p><p>All at once, the floor promptly gives away beneath us and the next thing I know, we're falling. We hit the ground atop the piece of the vent with a thud.</p><p>The Muun standing in front of us deactivates his lightsaber as the two of us scramble to our feet. "Attempts to escape are futile," he declares, "It is useless to resist." I stare at the floor, not daring to look up at him. Running now will definitely make it worse. Anyway, even if we did somehow get out of the building, I doubt we'd ever be able to get off the planet. We don't even know what planet we're <em>on</em>. But that doesn't mean we're just going to be perfectly obedient and not try escaping again. Wait until an opportunity presents itself, perhaps?</p><p>"You have everything you need here. I have no desire to harm you." Apparently being kidnapped and forcibly trained as Sith doesn't count? "But if you continue to misbehave, I will punish you."</p><p>Again, neither of us say anything. After all, what is there to say?</p><p>"Maul, take them to their quarters," he orders. I look up sharply, only then noticing the scowling Zabrak standing a short distance away. Maul starts off down the hall, and we reluctantly fall in step behind him. The Muun follows us until we reach the area Maul had taken us to before. I don't manage to see a whole lot on the way, other than what I already know. This building is huge.</p><p>"Stay in here with them," the Muun orders when Maul stops in the doorway. "Keep an eye on them in case they try anything else foolish." What? Oh no. The last thing we need is him watching us. So much for trying to discuss a more well-thought through escape plan.</p><p>For a moment he nearly looks like he's about to protest. "Yes, Master," he agrees reluctantly, stepping inside after us. The door closes and locks when we're inside. For a long moment, we stand there in silence. I wish he wasn't here. I don't even know what to do.</p><p>"How about we look around?" I suggest finally, turning to my sister.</p><p>"Well, we've got nothing better to do," replies Aniya. The room we're in appears to be a combination of a living and dining room. There's definitely plenty to do here, including <em>many </em>things we could spend a long time playing around with. Being from Tatooine, there's actually surprisingly little we know about the world outside.</p><p>After a bit of looking around, we cross the room, entering the doorway on the other side. It leads into a bedroom, with two beds, and a door to the 'fresher. I step over to the small window and pull back the curtains.</p><p>In the distance beyond the platforms surrounding the building, all I can see are rivers of lava. Everywhere. Well, that explains the orange glow enveloping everything here. "This is not the type of planet I want to be on," I conclude finally.</p><p>"Tell me about it," Aniya agrees, "But it looks like we're stuck."</p><p>Except I'm not willing to give up so easily. There has to be a way out.</p><p>"Any idea what planet it could be?" I query, thinking through all the different planets I've heard people talk about.</p><p>"No," Aniya sighs after a long moment of consideration. Great. Well, not that what planet we're on really matters a whole lot until we can actually get out of the building. Which isn't going to be happening if we have a Sith Lord babysitter.</p><p>I don't know what to do, but everything in the past few days is starting to catch up with me. We're stuck here with no way of escape, and I almost doubt anyone will be able to find us, either. Then we'll never see Mom, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Padme, or Jaufre ever again.</p><p>"It's still early morning, I think," I say finally. I'm exhausted. The past few days have been way too stressful on every level. "We should probably go to bed, at least for a little while." Besides, it's a good excuse to avoid the other room with Maul. I don't want to get close to him. Ever.</p><p>"But…" Aniya gasps, lowering her voice, "I don't want to go to sleep with a Sith in the next room!"</p><p>"Then we'll probably never sleep again," I point out glumly.</p><p>"True," she mutters, moving to sit down on the edge of one of the beds. I'm tempted to get in the same one, but instead head over to the other and lay down. It doesn't take long for sleep to overcome me.</p><p>**w**</p><p>By the time the two of us awaken, the room is quite dark. It's hard to tell what time it is, thanks to the darkness of the planet. The sky is clouded over right now; that's about the most I can tell.</p><p>"Want to dare venture out there?" suggests Aniya.</p><p>"No," I grumble, "But it's not like he's going away. And I'm getting hungry." Which I really am, though it's not like we haven't gone for much longer periods of time without eating.</p><p>"Well…" Aniya trails off, then sighs.</p><p>"We're going to be stuck here forever if we don't do something," I conclude, glancing around again. I'm scared to try something, but we can't just <em>stay</em> here. I might not mind, if we were here of our own freewill. We hardly have any sort of life ahead of us now, anyway. We can't be Jedi, the only thing I ever really cared to be. For the first time in my life, I have no idea what to do. We have no definite future now. Not anymore.</p><p>A sudden thought flickers through my mind. Even if we do get out, where will we go? We have nowhere to go now. Qui-Gon… I know he'll take care of us. He will, and I honestly think Obi-Wan will too, but I don't want to be a burden for them. Then I remember Jaufre's offer from earlier. He wanted us to stay with him. I wouldn't mind, but still. Next, I remember the Pod race, how we were able to get them the money for the hyperdrive so the situation on Naboo could be resolved. How I blew up the Federation ship and saved everyone on the planet. I guess there is still a lot of good we can do, even without becoming Jedi. Wherever we go, we might still be able to find our place. At least I hope we will.</p><p>"What could we do?" Aniya asks, crossing her arms. "We're stuck with Maul. He'll stop us if we try anything."</p><p>I glance around the room again, reconsidering the situation. I'd been thinking about it in bed a bit, but didn't came up with anything conclusive. But her words send another thought flickering through my mind. "Would he?" I point out. "He's a prisoner here too."</p><p>"Is he?"</p><p>"Well, he's locked in here with us, so unless he <em>wants</em> to stay in here… Hey, it's worth a try," I decide. Anything is better than nothing.</p><p>"If we can even get that far in talking to him," Aniya points out dismally.</p><p>"Well yes, but we have all the time in the world to get him to warm up to us."</p><p>"More like cool down to us."</p><p>I can't help but smile despite the situation. After all, what's better than a bit of humor in stressful situations? "Yes, now we just need to figure out how to talk to him."</p><p>"We've had to do worse," Aniya shrugs. "I'm been tempted to start by apologizing for throwing him down the pit, but that hardly seems appropriate, given he was about to kill Qui-Gon." Definitely.</p><p>"Well, we'll figure something out!" I conclude cheerfully, hope – however pointless – blooming within me. I jump up, pulling up my sister. Together we step outside our room.</p><p>Maul is pacing back and forth across the large room. He turns around upon hearing us come out, yellow eyes burning. He's angry. I can feel it pulsing around him. Upset at us for who knows what. Maybe he blames us for him getting stuck in here. Great. I have no idea where to start.</p><p>"How long are we going to be in here?" Aniya finally blurts out.</p><p>"Until my master decides to let you out," Maul answers.</p><p>"That could be forever," I point out.</p><p>"Unlikely," The Sith approaches us, stopping a distance away. "My master wants me to start teaching you the Force."</p><p>Wait. What?! Aniya and I exchange stunned glances. They want to train us? Except it would be as Sith… And I have no desire to become evil.</p><p>"Where are we?" I ask finally, though I highly doubt I'll be getting an answer. "I mean, what planet is this?"</p><p>"We are on Mustafar," answers Maul. Oh. I don't recognize the name. I might've heard it before, but it's not an important planet. Which probably means not many people come here. That <em>also </em>means that we're even less likely to be found. I want to tell myself I shouldn't give up hope, that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan will do whatever they can to find us, but I can't help but wonder. They probably don't even have any leads.</p><p>"Now… let's go eat?" advises Aniya, pulling me off towards the table. Probably a good idea. We can try to get Maul's help to escape… <em>later</em>.</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <em>An icy darkness encompasses the area, the walls – if that's what they even are – completely hazed over. Where am I? There's someone here, but a quick look around tells me I can't see them. Where's Aniya? Shouldn't she be here?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"</em>
  <em>Your destiny is your own," purrs a voice, I jump spinning around. No one. What's happening? "In time, you'll lose her just like everyone else." The invisible being laughs, the sound floating all around the area. I spin around again, but there's no one there.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Part of me doesn't want to say anything out of fear of angering it, but I refuse to let it show. I've learned a long time ago not to let anyone see my weaknesses. "Who are you?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It laughs again, and a black mist moves closer to me. I instinctively take a step back. "They'll all leave you in the end. All of them," it adds. It sounds smug. "But I won't."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"</em>
  <em>And who are you?" I repeat again, my fear growing at its words. I try to tell myself that we're always going to be together, but the only person I have left is Aniya. A life without her isn't a life at all. I honestly don't think we'd survive it. A cold fear grips me at the very thought. Our bond is unbreakable. It'd kill us to lose each other. Not her…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"</em>
  <em>Your destiny!" the being growls suddenly, diving straight towards me. I try to step back, only to find myself frozen firmly in place. It slams right into me, as if I'm absorbing the mist itself. The strange sense of falling hits me, followed by the sudden bombardment if images.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The suns of Tatooine just beginning to rise, with Mom walking in between tall poles that look a bit like vaporators. For a reason I can't explain, dread twists inside of me at the sight of her out there all alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The world shifts and the next thing I know I'm standing somewhere in a dark tunnel. "You need to come back," I hear myself saying.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"</em>
  <em>You know I can't," Aniya – an older version of her – replies, shaking her head before darting out the opening, disappearing from sight. She left me. Just like it warned me. But she wouldn't do that. She wouldn't!</em>
</p><p><em>"</em><em>Do what must be done… Do not hesitate. Show no mercy. Only then will you be strong enough with the Dark Side," a disembodied voice rasps, sending shivers through me. And why for a moment does it seem like it's addressing </em>me?!</p><p>
  <em>"</em>
  <em>You would dare try to betray me?" hisses the same voice. I look up to see a dark-robed figure towering above me, Sithly yellow eyes piercing into me. He sounds nothing like Maul or the Muun. Blue lightning leaps from his fingers as he starts electrocuting me. "Forget your sister, forget everyone… except me," the being snarls.</em>
</p><p>I jolt awake, heart pounding. Maul is standing nearby, watching me. Aniya scrambles out of her bed on the other side of the room, dives around the Sith, climbing onto the bed next to me. "Ani…" She pulls me into a hug, letting my head rest on her shoulder. I suddenly can't shake the image of her leaving from mind.</p><p>"You need to learn proper shielding," Maul informs me at last. "You're screaming your emotions into the Force loud enough for every Force-sensitive in the nearby systems to pick up on." Well, I guess that explains what he's doing in here. I probably accidentally woke him up with my panic. "I will start training you tomorrow."</p><p>Without waiting for a response, he heads out of the room.</p><p>Neither of us say anything until the door closes behind him. "Are you okay?" Aniya whispers finally.</p><p>"It was just a nightmare… I think," I murmur, tightening my grip on her. "I saw Mom," I tell her after a moment, the image from my dream flashing through my mind again, reminding of just how much I miss her right now. It's become a continual dull ache inside of me that never goes away, but every time I think about her, it hurts so much.</p><p>"What happened?" Aniya questions, suddenly worried.</p><p>"She's was walking around somewhere on Tatooine. I just had this feeling like something bad was going to happen," I explain. I don't understand what I was so afraid of in my dream. It doesn't make sense now, but I just knew that something terrible was going to happen. If only there was a way that we could at least free her. She's be far less likely to get hurt if she was free. But there's nothing we can do. It's not like the Sith are going to agree to that. Well, probably not. And I'm not brave enough to ask.</p><p>I pause for a moment. I can't bring myself to tell her about the part of her leaving me. It doesn't even make sense anyway. I know she wouldn't ever do that. "The rest of it didn't really make sense… this dark being was talking to me. A Sith, I think."</p><p>"The Sith Master?" she guesses.</p><p>I shake my head. "I don't think so. It was someone else."</p><p>"We should get back to sleep if we're really going to start training tomorrow. Who knows what it's going to be like?" Aniya points out.</p><p>"True," I agree. I still don't like this, but it's not like there's anything we can do. We can hardly refuse to let Maul train us, could we? And I get the feeling being difficult wouldn't end very well for either of us.</p><p>With a sigh, I stretch out on the bed again. Scooting closer, Aniya lays down next to me. Her presence makes me feel at least a little better. At least she's one person that I haven't lost.</p><p><em>Yet</em>, my mind just has to supply.</p><p>It's a long time before I finally manage to drift off to sleep.</p><p>**w**</p><p>As it turns out, Maul isn't that bad of a teacher. Okay, he isn't when he's not being grumpy. Over the past week or so – it's hard to know, since there's not really any way to keep track of time – he's been teaching us the basics of using the Force. I'm not really sure what the difference between Light and Dark methods are, but I'm pretty sure he's emphasizing using the Dark Side. Not like that's a surprise. That's why I didn't want him to teach us in the first place, but there's little choice.</p><p>"I'm tired of being stuck here," Aniya groans finally. Having finished our training session for the day, Aniya and I are sitting in the larger room of our quarters.</p><p>"Next time, just don't try escaping," Maul advises. For a moment, I nearly think I see amusement in his expression.</p><p>"Well… aren't we stuck in here together?" I point out, turning to him. "You're practically a prisoner here also."</p><p>"I am not," he insists, "I'm only in here to keep an eye on you. And train you."</p><p>"But you can't leave, even if you wanted to, right?" Aniya argues.</p><p>"Which kind of makes you a prisoner as much as we are," I assert. Well, maybe not exactly, but this might be our only chance.</p><p>He crosses his arms, clearly unimpressed. "What are you getting at?"</p><p>Aniya and I exchange glances. "We don't need to stay locked up in here. If you helped us, we could all escape together," I offer brightly.</p><p>"I don't think so," Maul says flatly.</p><p>"Why not?" I ask, fixing him with a stare, "Are you scared?" I know that's probably a stupid thing to ask a Sith, but seriously.</p><p>Okay, that was a mistake. He scowls. "I will not betray my master."</p><p>"But he wouldn't hesitate to betray you, would he?" counters Aniya, "If he thought he found someone better to take your place?" Maul's eyes narrow, his expression darkening almost dangerously.</p><p>"He probably –" I begin.</p><p>"Enough!" he snaps, abruptly standing. "Get these foolish notions out of your head. You won't be going anywhere until my master says otherwise." He turns on his heal, stalking into the next room.</p><p>"So much for that," mumbles Aniya under her breath as the door slides closed behind him. I'm not entirely sure what it was that made him so upset anyway.</p><p>"It was worth a shot," I sigh. Though maybe we should have waited a little longer, I don't know. Or come up with a more convincing argument as to why he should help us.</p><p>Suddenly, I get a distinct feeling that something is about to happen. Once look at Aniya shows that she's feeling the same thing as me.</p><p>It's then that I also realize something else. Can I seriously sense Obi-Wan right now?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. 19 - Chaos in the Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>So, I know that for real, Plagueis was killed after Palpatine was elected as Chancellor, but in this universe, because of two certain powerful Force sensitives, Plagueis left Coruscant before that happened. ;)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Anakin Skywalker</span>
</p><p>"Do you feel that?" whispers Aniya turning to me, her eyes wide.</p><p>I nod, a glimmer of hope and excitement sparking inside me. Did Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon find us?</p><p>Just then, I hear footsteps approaching the door of our quarters. Maul steps back into the room just as the door slides open to reveal the Muun. Oh no. What does he want? But I suppose, if we can sense the Jedi's presences approaching, he definitely can. What if he came here to move us somewhere else before they find us?</p><p>"Maul," orders the Sith Master, "Come out here."</p><p>There's a moment of pause, then Maul walks out the door, leaving us alone. It slides shut behind him. I hear muffled voices, followed by receding footsteps. For a long moment, neither of us move.</p><p>Suddenly, I feel a familiar presence brushing my mind. "<em>We're on our way,</em>" says Obi-Wan.</p><p>A wave of relief floods me. They know where we are. And they must be really close to have risked communicating with us. Any minute now, perhaps? We won't be stuck here much longer.</p><p>"Ani," I breathe, "They're coming."</p><p>"We should try to escape from here," Aniya declares, jumping up.</p><p>I nod, standing also. "And try to find them somehow." At least that way maybe we can get out of here without a huge confrontation between them and the Sith. I don't want Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan to end up injured. Hopefully, they aren't here alone.</p><p>"Where should we be to wait for them?" she asks the rhetorical question.</p><p>"Somewhere Maul and his master won't find us," I supply helpfully.</p><p>"Really? I thought we should go running straight to them," Aniya retorts.</p><p>I roll my eyes. "How about first we try to figure out how to get out of here in the first place?"</p><p>"But how?!" Aniya exclaims. "We can't open the door from in here."</p><p>"Can't we?" I counter, walking over to it. True, I don't see controls anywhere in here, but I'm sure there's a way.</p><p>Maybe with what Maul's taught us about the Force.</p><p>"Maybe we can try opening it with the Force?" Aniya suggests as if reading my thoughts. Maybe she did. It wouldn't be surprising.</p><p>"Together," I agree. I close my eyes, reaching out with the Force. I can feel the door, and I can feel beyond it. Just because we can't reach past it physically doesn't mean there isn't a way past. We both focus on it, and I do my best to tune out everything except the feel of the door in front of me. After what feels like an eternity, there's a sudden click signaling it's unlocked before it slides open.</p><p>I pull my sister into a hug, silently celebrating our approaching rescue. I can't believe this ordeal is finally almost over. Well, hopefully it is.</p><p>We step out into a long hallway, that seems to stretch endlessly in both directions. The curtains covering the windows on the far side of the hallway are partly drawn open, revealing the completely dark sky beyond.</p><p>"Now what?" Aniya wonders, looking around anxiously. I'm half expecting Maul or the Muun to walk up any second.</p><p>"Try to follow our bond with Obi-Wan maybe?" I offer, "Let's just <em>go</em>!"</p><p>We dart down the hall, turning nearly blindly down the halls. I'm hardly sure where to go, but I'm just following the Force. Or trying to.</p><p>We turn another corner in the hall, and I come to a stop at another room with closed doors. Something seems to nudge me in that direction, so I tentatively approach it. To my surprise, the door slides right open when I walk up to it.</p><p>"A control room?" Aniya realizes, looking around. It's mostly empty, through there are control panels lining the walls.</p><p>I pause for a moment, then go inside.</p><p>The lights on one of the control panels is flashing red in warning. I don't like the looks of this. I run across the room, glancing over them. I can't tell much, except that it seems the shields around the building have been taken down. And it's positioned precariously right next to the lava. Unless we can reverse it, the place is going to be tearing itself apart and falling into the lava below.</p><p>I look up with a half-panicked glance at my twin. "We have to warn them!" I exclaim.</p><p>"Is there something we can do from here?" Aniya asks anxiously.</p><p>"I don't know," I hiss, scanning over the controls. Even if there was a way to get the shields back on…</p><p>"I think it's too late to do anything," Aniya concludes the same time as me. We need to get out of here. <em>Now</em>.</p><p>The two of us whirl around and take off running out of the room. If only we actually knew where in the world we were going. I'm guessing Maul and the Muun are fighting Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and whoever else if there is anyone else with them near the entrance. But where even is the entrance?</p><p>As bolt around another corner in the hall, I suddenly hear the sounds of lightsabers clashing up ahead. Oh no. I don't like the sound of this. But at least we probably found them.</p><p>Aniya and I slid to a stop by the doorway of a large room where the duel is occurring, cautiously peeking around the corner. Maul spins his double-bladed red lightsaber in a circle as he attacks Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and another Jedi. He's quite a bit older than Qui-Gon, and his hair is white. He's wielding a blue lightsaber. I let out a sigh of relief to see them again, but I wish it was under better circumstances. If only there was something we could do to help.</p><p>Where is Maul's master? I don't see him anywhere. Why is he not here fighting them? Unless he's gone elsewhere for whatever reason. I'm guessing he's the one who turned off the shields on the building. A sudden fear twists inside of me. What if he decided to leave and hope everyone here is killed?</p><p>We need to warn them!</p><p>I can feel the building start trembling beneath me, a warning that the destroyed parts are getting closer.</p><p>Their lightsabers continue clashing furiously is a deadly dance of red, green, and blue. It would almost be mesmerizing if not for the circumstances. The four are moving together like a deadly dance. The Jedi are attacking him in unison, quickly forcing Maul on the defensive.</p><p>As the blades meet again, Maul kicks Obi-Wan across the room. I'm about to bolt out of our hiding spot around the doorway to see if he's alright, but he sees us first. "Stay where you are," Obi-Wan orders before running across the room to attack the Sith again. Qui-Gon catches sight of us simultaneously, and Maul uses his momentary distraction as an opportunity to shove him backwards and run. He darts through one of the other doorways in the room. They give chase.</p><p>"Qui-Gon!" I call desperately.</p><p>He pauses, glancing back at us.</p><p>"The shields are down on the building!" I inform him urgently.</p><p>"And it's gonna fall into the lava. We need to get out of here!" yelps Aniya.</p><p>As if on cue, the entire structure suddenly shakes violently, and I can hear the loud sounds of it being ripped apart just nearby. Or maybe just below us, I can't tell.</p><p>"Follow me," urges Qui-Gon, hurrying after where the others went.</p><p>Obi-Wan and the other Jedi are continuing to fight Maul, though the Sith is clearly on the defensive right now. I don't know who the other person is, but he's clearly a really good fighter.</p><p>The fight continues at full intensity, Obi-Wan and the other Jedi on either side of Maul as their blades continue clashing. For the moment, neither side is gaining ground on the other. Aniya's death-grip on my arm seems to tighten as the battle progresses, and I pull her closer.</p><p>Maul slowly begins backing away, blocking their slashes as he goes. They pursue him, continuously attacking him. I hope he's not leading them into a trap, like to where his Sith Master is, perhaps. I can't help but have a very different feeling watching them fighting than I would have before. Maul is a Sith, but I don't hate him. I don't want him to get hurt, but right now, my focus is far more on the Jedi. And <em>us</em>.</p><p>"We need to leave, now!" Qui-Gon calls urgently to the others. He starts heading for the door, us right behind, only for the floor to suddenly shake violently. I catch my balance on the wall, grabbing Aniya's arm so she doesn't faceplant. There's the sound of metal tearing apart and a fracture appears in the floor. I stumble backwards towards the door, panic steadily rising. If we don't get out of here, we are all going to die. That's probably exactly what the Sith Master wanted.</p><p>"Get to the ship!" Qui-Gon orders.</p><p>"But –" I begin arguing.</p><p>"<em>Go!</em>"</p><p>I glance back at them, wanting to do anything except leave, but I know there's no choice. They'll catch up. Aniya and I bolt for the door as the floor jerks again, and I can hear it tearing the rest of the way in half. A large crevasse opens in the center, showing <em>way </em>too much of the lava river below for my liking. I don't waste a second longer. We bolt out the door, dashing across the landing platform to the shuttle. I can hear the others coming – I think – but I don't wait to see.</p><p>We pile into the cockpit, and I glance around the controls. Thankfully, I know enough to fire up the engines, but wait for a moment to let the others catch up. Even inside, I can hear the sound of the building falling apart. Just when I'm being to fear they're not going to make it, the three Jedi hurry into the cockpit. Obi-Wan takes the pilot seat, immediately flying the shuttle upwards and into the atmosphere. I see the remains of the building falling into the lava below us.</p><p>"What happened to Maul?" I ask as I watch the red planet shrinking below us.</p><p>"The Sith?" Aniya clarifies.</p><p>"He was still inside the last I saw," Obi-Wan answers. I frown slightly, part of me really hoping that he got out of there. I really don't want him to have been killed, even if I probably shouldn't feel like that. He was a Sith, but still…</p><p>"Anakin and Aniya, this is my former Master, Yan Dooku," Qui-Gon introduces us.</p><p>"Oh." It sounds strange to think of him once having a master.</p><p>"Are you alright?" asks Qui-Gon, eyeing us with concern.</p><p>"We're fine," I assure them.</p><p>"What happened?" Obi-Wan asks.</p><p>"Maul – that Sith – kidnapped us and brought us here," Aniya explains.</p><p>"And locked us in this room which we broke out of," I offer.</p><p>"Do you know what they wanted with you?" inquires Obi-Wan. I frown, squirming slightly. I'm not at all comfortable talking about this. Especially not with someone I don't even know here.</p><p>"They wanted us to become Sith," Aniya mumbles, looking away. "Maul started training us with the Force."</p><p>"They? You saw the other one?" asks Dooku.</p><p>"Yes, there's two of them." I confirm. "The other was Maul's master. A Muun, I think."</p><p>"We'll see if there's any way we can figure out what his identity is," declares Obi-Wan, "But with that whole place in lava, it might be difficult."</p><p>"Did you see the other Sith around anywhere when you came here?" Aniya queries a bit hopefully.</p><p>"No. Maul was the only person we ran into here at all," Qui-Gon answers.</p><p>"Well… where are we going?" I inquire at last.</p><p>"We'll be staying on Naboo for now," Qui-Gon informs, "Master Dooku will be staying with us."</p><p>Exhaustion from the long night is finally catching up to me as Aniya and I sit next to each other on a larger bench further back in the hold, right behind the cockpit.</p><p>"How long until we get there?" I inquire with a yawn.</p><p>"It'll be a few hours," Obi-Wan tells us from where he sits in the pilot's seat.</p><p>"You should get some sleep," Qui-Gon decides. I don't bother to protest. I'd like to go to sleep myself right now. Aniya and I shift around until we find a semi-comfortable position, using each other as pillows.</p><p>It was certainly the most frightening experience we've been through, but at least we're all safe for now. Maybe we'll be able to go back to Theed and actually celebrate our victory. I try not to think about the fact that one of the Sith Lords escaped, so we may not be as safe as we'd hope. Closing my eyes, I let the darkness consume me.</p><p>
  <em>I can hear water rushing nearby, and the entire place is radiating a sense of peacefulness I've hardly ever felt before. Tall grass surrounds us as we stand facing each other. Aniya – I know it's her, even though she's probably a decade older – is standing across from me, lightsaber ignited. "Up for the challenge?" she chirps, grinning.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"</em>
  <em>I was about to as you the same question," I shoot back, glancing at the figures standing nearby. Padme and Jaufre. They're much older, but I can recognize them anywhere. They didn't change much.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We jump forwards at once, our blue lightsabers clashing.</em>
</p><p>I wake up reluctantly at the sound of someone calling us. The scene slowly fades from sight, and my first thought is that it was a vision. Maybe. At least it was of something peaceful, unlike the ones I've been having all the time since we were kidnapped. I can't help but wonder if it'll happen. Maybe. I hope so. If we're going to be staying on Naboo… I don't know.</p><p>My eyes open the same time I register that we've stopped moving. I was so sound asleep I hadn't even noticed. Not that it's surprising, considering we were up half the night. Obi-Wan is calling us. "We're there?" I mumble sleepily, sitting up.</p><p>"We're back," he says. Turning, I can see by the little light coming in the viewport of the ship that the sun is going to be rising within minutes. We spent the entire night already.</p><p>At least we're finally back here on Naboo. Even now, I don't feel completely safe. After what happened last time, how can I be sure the Sith won't come after us again?</p><p>"I forgot to ask," Aniya suddenly says awkwardly, "But how did you find us?"</p><p>"At first I tried to follow our bond," Obi-Wan explains. "That didn't work, so Master Dooku, Master Qui-Gon, and I all mediated together trying to use my bond to locate you. It took a long time, but we finally were able to figure out that you were on Mustafar."</p><p>"Oh," I say. I don't fully understand how they did that, but when we get more training with the Force, it probably will make more sense.</p><p>Qui-Gon steps into the main hold and away from the front of the shuttle. "You'll go back to stay where you were before for now. The night's almost over, and you need to rest." I couldn't agree more. I still feel like I could sleep for a week.</p><p>"I'll take you to your room," Obi-Wan decides, leading us back to the palace. He guides us to a different room than the one Maul broke into. I sit down on the edge of one of the beds, gaze darting around the room.</p><p>"Can you stay here?" I blurt out. I really don't want to stay here alone, even if it <em>is</em> daytime.</p><p>Obi-Wan blinks in surprise, seeming uncertain how to respond.</p><p>"I don't want to stay here alone," Aniya insists, giving him a pleading look.</p><p>He hesitates for a moment before finally giving in. "Alright."</p><p>**w**</p><p>
  <span class="u">Jaufre Naberrie</span>
</p><p>I'm going crazy. And I seriously can't believe something like this would happen on Naboo. I just need to make sure the twins are alright. Padme is currently busy with meetings, so she won't even be able to see them for a while.</p><p>I really want to find out what Anakin and Aniya are planning to do now, since the stupid Council decided they couldn't be trained. Seriously, <em>what</em>? That doesn't even make any sense. Given, I don't know that much about the Jedi's rules and stuff, but still. There are times that they get on my nerves, even if I do respect them as a whole.</p><p>Fine.</p><p>Since no one is bothering to tell me how Ani squared are doing, I'm going to go find them myself.</p><p>Luckily, it doesn't take long for me to reach where they're staying in the palace, until we can find a better, safer place for them.</p><p>"Ani!" I call as I walk up to see the two of them sitting outside in the gardens.</p><p>"Hi!" they both call back excitedly, turning around. I hurry over to them, pulling them both into a hug which they immediately return.</p><p>"You know, you did succeed in giving us quite the scare, <em>again</em>," I inform them, smirking as we finally let go of each other.</p><p>"Well, it wasn't really <em>our</em> fault," protests Anakin.</p><p>"It was the <em>Sith's</em>," Aniya supplies.</p><p>"And you know, my offer still stands," I tell them. Aniya nods, giving me a faint smile.</p><p>"I really wouldn't want to lead a Sith Lord to your doorstep," murmurs Anakin quietly.</p><p>"Don't worry," I assure them, grinning. "Padme would just blast them."</p><p>"It's not that simple," Anakin informs me flatly. Yes, well, I know.</p><p>"Though for real, I'm not sure that we'd be able to keep you out of trouble, so hopefully one of those Jedi will be staying around," I add. I'm not too stupid to know that a Sith Lord is nothing we'd be able to deal with alone. Besides, Naboo already just finished pulling through a huge mess because of the Sith. I don't want to deal with another.</p><p>"Qui-Gon will be staying with us for sure," Aniya replies. "I think all three of them will. At least for now."</p><p>"Great!" I exclaim, "Then maybe I can take you over to my house sometime. And then we can spend all night watching <em>Earth Wars </em>–"</p><p>"What's that?" Anakin asks immediately. He doesn't know? Oof. Of course not. I thought everyone did.</p><p>"Well… never mind." I guess I'll explain to them more about my favorite Holofilm series some other time.</p><p>"Where's Padme?" Anakin questions suddenly.</p><p>"She's busy," I answer, "Meetings and stuff. Being a queen is rather overwhelming. The last time she listed off everything on her schedule for the day I got migraines."</p><p>"Maybe later today we can ask Qui-Gon about going over to your house," Aniya suggests, "Is it far from here?"</p><p>"No," I say cheerfully, "It's only on the other side of Theed."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. 20 - Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>Anakin and I are sitting outside near Dooku. We got to our new temporary residence not long ago, and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are still inside.</p><p>I'm honestly feeling rather shy, as I often am with new people. I know I can trust him, but for some inexplicable reason, I can't quite find myself able to. Honestly, I don't think I'll be able to really trust anyone for quite some time. Anyone outside my family, that is.</p><p>"The Sith should not be able to reach you here," Dooku suddenly breaks the silence. I'm pretty sure he was picking up on my worries about the Sith finding us again. "With the three of us here to protect you, we should be able to stop them if they make another attempt."</p><p>"I hope so," murmurs Anakin, moving closer to me.</p><p>"I still don't see why the Jedi think we're too attached to be trained," I grumble finally, staring out across the yard. Despite what Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan have explained about that, it still doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. It's defying the inevitability of twinhood.</p><p>"The Jedi are flawed in a lot of ways," Dooku replies. "Many of them don't understand how they're actually supposed to be dealing with emotions. They sometimes act as though ignoring them will make them disappear. What you really need to do is learn to accept them, so they will not be able to control you."</p><p>To be fair, a lot of things about the Jedi still confuse me, but I can understand what he's saying, even if I can't begin to comprehend how someone could think ignoring emotions is a good idea. Sure, it would work for a time, but eventually, it's bound to backfire. "I think I understand," I say slowly.</p><p>Anakin nods. "So, they think how much we care about each other would interfere with our training? But even Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan care about each other a lot."</p><p>"But not quite the same," Dooku objects, "Even I have never seen a bond nearly as strong as the one you two share."</p><p>"Is that a bad thing?" I blurt out. Probably the stupidest thing I've said all day, but I can't help but wonder. I don't understand much about the Force, but I honestly think the main thing keeping me in the Light is Anakin.</p><p>"Not if you control your emotions." Dooku responds.</p><p>The conversation is interrupted when Qui-Gon walks over to us. "Come on, Ani. We should start your training."</p><p>Before long, Anakin and I find ourselves sitting on either side of Qui-Gon as he attempts to help us meditate. It's not exactly easy, especially not now that I can't use the Force without remembering what happened. I'm still struggling to learn the difference between the two sides of the Force. It will take time, Qui-Gon told us. It would help if I could actually calm myself enough to focus on Qui-Gon's presence. It's harder than it might sound.</p><p>"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon calls him at last, "Perhaps it would be easier of you helped guide Anakin. You already have a strong bond with him."</p><p>"Of course," agrees Obi-Wan walking over and taking a seat next to Anakin. I can feel them reaching into the Force again, and I turn my attention back to Qui-Gon, doing my best to focus solely on him. It feels good, I realize, to have my full trust in someone. To have someone I know will always take care of me and Anakin, no matter what.</p><p>***</p><p>
  <span class="u">Padme Amidala</span>
</p><p>"Master Windu is asking to speak with you," Dorme informs me. I raise an eyebrow in surprise at my handmaid. That's unexpected. What would they want to talk to me about?</p><p>"Okay…" I reply, taking the transmission.</p><p>"We would like you to speak with former Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn on our behalf," Windu states after the initial exchange of greetings, "He is refusing to answer us, even after our request that he rejoin the Order with the Skywalker twins. They are still in potentially grave danger from the Sith and will not be safe from them anywhere other than at the Jedi Temple. We would be most grateful if you could persuade him to listen to us."</p><p>I know they're asking me this because they know of my close connection with the twins. Honestly, much of the situation the twins ended up in is the Council's fault in the first place, but they do have a point. I'm honestly upset that the main reason they're so worried about Anakin and Aniya's fates now is because they realize how powerful they are, and how much strength the Sith apparently have. But honestly, the Council does have a point. The safest place for the twins is going to be at the Jedi Temple. It would be much more difficult – practically impossible, in fact – for the Sith to do anything to them if they're staying there. I know expecting them to be Jedi after everything that happened won't make up for it, but still, I see the danger they're in.</p><p>"I will speak with them as soon as I have a chance," I respond.</p><p>"Thank you, your Majesty," says Windu before the call disconnects. I could just call Jaufre now and ask him to get ahold of Qui-Gon, but unless another crisis arrives, I should have a bit of free time later this evening. I'll go over there then and talk to them in person.</p><p>I haven't been able to be around the twins much, even with them staying on Naboo and I'd like to stop by and visit them again anyway. Especially if this may be one of the last times that I'm able to.</p><p>If they do go to the Temple to become Jedi, I think the week they've spent here on Naboo will really help in the long run. From what I've come to understand, the Jedi way of life is strict, and it will do them good to have had time to recover from what they've been through on Tatooine. I've talked to them a few times this past week, and they're naturally still struggling to adapt to a life of freedom, though Qui-Gon didn't want to talk much about that.</p><p>The night comes quickly, and before I know it, Jaufre and I have arrived at the place where the twins are staying. I pull Qui-Gon aside to discuss the situation with him.</p><p>"The Council called me," I begin, getting to the point.</p><p>He doesn't exactly look happy. "What for?"</p><p>"They say that it's too dangerous for the twins to stay here on Naboo, even with the three of you to protect them," I answer. "Even with you there, the Sith were still able to get to them."</p><p>"<em>Now </em>they say that. After waiting for things to get this far," Qui-Gon argues, "We are keeping a closer eye on them. If the Sith tried to get them again, we'd sense it before they had a chance."</p><p>"I'm sure you are," I reply, "But I think you should at least consider talking to them. As much as I'd honestly like if the twins did stay here, it is a great risk. If they were at the Temple with many other Jedi around, it would be far harder for the Sith to get to them."</p><p>"Even so, I will have to ask them. I will not allow them to stay at the Temple if they won't become Jedi," he responds.</p><p>"Given the circumstances, I'm sure the Council would be reasonable," I point out. I definitely am extremely upset at them for what they caused, but I can see the danger in the current situation too. Whatever happens, I just want the twins to be safe. "Perhaps you should speak with them. They may change their minds."</p><p>"I'll talk to them," Qui-Gon agrees at last, though he's clearly extremely reluctant about it.</p><p>***</p><p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>Anakin and I are standing in the cockpit, watching out the window as the shuttle the two of us, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Dooku are in flies through the buildings of Coruscant, heading for the Jedi Temple.</p><p>Anger flares inside of me at the sight of it. No matter how things turn out while we're here, I'll never be able to fully trust the Council again. First, they reject us, and then, after the Sith got ahold of us, they suddenly acted so worried about our fates. Is it only because of how powerful they think we're going to be that they want to ensure we never end up in the Sith's hands? Are we ever going to be seen as more than just tools? As something other the power we're said to have?</p><p>But at the same time, I still do want to become a Jedi. It's been my life's dream, and even though I see that the Jedi – or the Council, at least – aren't as good as I once thought they were, that doesn't mean I can say I want to give up my lifelong dream. Maybe once we join, we can change something about the way they are.</p><p>Besides, if we do become Jedi, maybe we'll be able to free Mom sooner. Qui-Gon told us he was going to do it eventually, but as long as we were staying on Naboo, he said it wasn't safe for him or either of the other Jedi to go free her. Anything could happen while they were gone. Either the Sith could attack us, or worse yet, they could do something on Tatooine that would lure us out there. At least with the three of them there, they'd probably be able to protect us if something happened.</p><p>And there's the fact that I really want to stay around Obi-Wan. I don't know if he'd leave the Order for us, but I don't want to make him choose. He's worked towards being a Knight his whole life, and I really don't want to stop him from fulfilling his dreams.</p><p>"Obi-Wan, take them to our apartment to wait while I speak with the Council," Qui-Gon instructs as we land in the hangar bay.</p><p>I do my best to ignore the curious glances the other Jedi milling about give us as we follow Obi-Wan through the halls. Dooku heads off after his former apprentice, and I give a final glance over my shoulder before turning and hurrying after Obi-Wan. We've known Dooku for about a week, and now that we're coming here, we very well might not see him again for a long time. I had heard him saying while we were still on Naboo that he has been considering leaving the Order for a while before the whole debacle involving us.</p><p>Anakin and I pace back and forth impatiently inside the apartment, waiting for the meeting to be over. It's late afternoon now, the golden rays of the sun streaming in the windows.</p><p>"This is boring," I grumble finally. We've been waiting for a long time already with absolutely nothing to do. The scene outside is beautiful but there's only so long I can stare at it.</p><p>"It would be more boring if our futures weren't in question," sighs Anakin. No doubt about that. I just wish I could actually count on their agreement this time. I won't risk making the same mistake for the third time. I don't want to start getting my hopes up only for them to be crushed again.</p><p>For the third time, our future is being discussed. I'm probably glad we're not in there this time, since the first time it was extremely stressful. I'd much prefer not being in there to hear all the arguing likely to happen, either. I hate arguments of any sort beyond sibling nonsense. And after last time, I realized exactly how much I hate it when people discuss our fate as if we're not there and don't have feelings about it. Especially now. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive them for what they've done, or almost done. I try my best not to think about what would have happened if Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan hadn't gotten to the place on Mustafar in time.</p><p>I'm not sure how long it's been before Qui-Gon finally returns. The first thing I notice is that he's alone. Dooku isn't there. But from his expression, I can tell whatever happened is both good and bad. I'm not really sure what that means.</p><p>"The Council has agreed to your training," Qui-Gon assures us with a smile.</p><p>First, I'm hit with shock, then complete elation. Did we really just hear that we will get our life-long dream at last?! Despite everything that's happened?</p><p>"I'm going to be Knighted," Obi-Wan informs us, "After that, I'll train Anakin. Master Qui-Gon will train Aniya." Anakin practically throws himself at him as he tackles him in a hug.</p><p>"I rejoined the Order," Qui-Gon adds.</p><p>Again, Anakin is the one who remembers before me. "What will happen to Mom?" he asks quietly, almost dreading the answer.</p><p>"I will be heading to Tatooine to free her," Qui-Gon relates. I lighten up again at the news. At least she won't be a slave anymore, so it won't be as likely for someone to hurt her. I can't quite suppress the glimmer of hope inside of me.</p><p>Unable to wait another moment, I just blurt out the question. "Will we be able to see her again?"</p><p>He pauses. "The Council will never allow it, Ani. Jedi are not allowed to have attachments to anyone. One of the reasons they didn't want to train you to begin with is because you're so attached to each other. The only reason they agreed now is because of the situation."</p><p>I look down, unable to help the heavy feeling that hits me. I already suspected as much, but that doesn't mean I'm happy with it. I knew we wouldn't be able to see her again for a while, but it hurts to think about. At least I can just take comfort in the fact she's going to be free. At least that way, I can be guaranteed she'll be able to find a much better life somewhere.</p><p>"Dooku officially left the Order," he continues, "And the Council did figure out the identity of the Sith Master. They're pretty sure he's Hugo Damask II, an important member of the Banking Clan, but no one has heard or seen from him after what happened."</p><p>"Maybe he got caught inside when everything was destroyed," Anakin mutters hopefully.</p><p>"Unlikely," Obi-Wan objects, "But that would make things much simpler."</p><p>"Dooku left to investigate the Sith on his own," Qui-Gon informs.</p><p>"Oh," I mumble. For some reason, I do not have a good feeling about that. I don't really want him out there completely alone when there's Sith running around.</p><p>"I will be heading for Tatooine shortly. Meanwhile, both of you will stay with Obi-Wan." He glances at his former apprentice, who nods. "And," the now-Jedi-Master-again concludes, "The Chancellor has requested a meeting with you."</p><p>***</p><p>Unable to restrain myself, I reach out, tugging Anakin's new padawan braid. I smirk as he shoots me an annoyed look.</p><p>"Now you have a braid like a girl," I whisper evilly, ignoring the disapproving glance I get from Obi-Wan.</p><p>After the Council agreed for us to be trained, we switched our clothes to those of Jedi Padawans. They're the exact same shade of light tan, just like all the other clothes we've worn. It's slightly strange to think of Obi-Wan being a Knight, but that's the least of my concerns. Qui-Gon just left for Tatooine, and the sun is setting on Coruscant. It painfully reminds me of the first day we were here, even though it's much clearer this time. All those bad memories are going to keep haunting me for a long while, I expect. Until I manage to get enough new ones to block it out.</p><p>The three of us are in the Jedi Knight's speeder, flying towards the Senate building. I'm more than a little surprised that the <em>Chancellor</em> wanted to see us. If not for what happened, I'd probably be feeling more than a little honored, but right now I'm just very nervous. It's a good thing Obi-Wan will be with us, or I mind end up backing out of it altogether. Yes, my trust issues will be quite a problem for a while, too.</p><p>The speeder lands, and we climb out. I do my best not to stare at the towering structure. How can buildings even get so big? I'll never be able to stop asking endless questions about that, it seems.</p><p>But still, nothing can get me to stop feeling nervous. I have nothing to worry about. Nothing! Not like a Sith Lord will jump out at me. One's dead – probably – and the other has disappeared. Besides, the Sith Master had apparently known Palpatine quite well, though he had no idea of his… <em>other</em> life. At least that's what I've heard.</p><p>"Thank you for accepting my invitation," Palpatine greets as the three of us step inside, "Sit, please. All of you."</p><p>Anakin and I immediately start moving forwards, but Obi-Wan's voice stops us. "We can stand. I'm sure you're in a hurry."</p><p>"I never had the opportunity to thank you for your actions in helping win the battle on Naboo," says Palpatine, looking to me and Anakin, "And saving Master Jinn's life. We are more grateful."</p><p>"Thank you, sir," murmurs Anakin. I suddenly feel too shy to reply. The only other people who thanked us for anything like that are Padme and Jaufre… and, well, everyone after we won that Pod race. Was it only three weeks ago? It could have been a decade.</p><p>He regards us for a long moment. "I heard you used to live on Tatooine. I visited there one time years ago."</p><p>"Yes, we did," Anakin confirms with a nod.</p><p>"Tell me, how does it feel to have joined the Jedi Order at last?" Palpatine inquires.</p><p>"We've always wanted to bring justice," my brother replies again. I nod my agreement, but still refrain from talking.</p><p>He nods slowly. "As I told you both on Naboo, Anakin, Aniya, we will continue to follow your career with great interest." The conversation doesn't last much longer after that.</p><p>"Thank you," I offer at last.</p><p>"We should go," Obi-Wan murmurs, his gaze flicking to the window.</p><p>"Yes, of course," responds Palpatine graciously, "Perhaps we will meet again soon, padawans Skywalker."</p><p>A brief exchange of goodbyes later, we've climbed back into the speeder and are heading back for the Temple.</p><p>This marks a new beginning for Anakin and me. We're going to be Jedi, at last. It makes me think briefly about the new beginning back on Naboo. That was one for us, too. Our dreams are going to come true. I finally see a rising hope for both of us, a light emerging despite the dark moments. We'll be able to leave our lives as slaves behind and move on.</p><p>A faint sense of longing comes over me for a second as I remember Mom. She's the only one we have to miss. We promised we'd be back, and I know now we will. Eventually. I miss Kitster and Wald too, but deep down I know that in a few years, they'll have moved on and mostly forgotten us. They'll have other best friends who will be more important. By the time we actually do return, it will have been far too long.</p><p>I reach over and take my brother's hand. We already have so much more. We have our masters now. Qui-Gon already feels like a father to us, and Obi-Wan… something like an older brother perhaps.</p><p>For now, our past is where I want it. Behind us.</p><p>An era of light has opened. A new beginning. For all of us.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p><p>The epilogue will be released next week along with the prologue of the sequel, Path to War! :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, I know a lot of you were probably hoping the twins might be raised as Grey Jedi or at least outside the Order, but when it comes down to it, there's kind of only four options of what could happen, since the Sith would never stop trying to get them.</p><p>1. The one we took, where they join the Jedi.</p><p>2. Qui-Gon ignores the Council and they stay on Naboo. Sidious would get Maul again and them and Plagueis would find the twins. The former Jedi would be killed in the ensuing fight, and the Sith could easily twist it so the twins blame the Jedi, and they'd fall to the Dark Side too far to ever return.</p><p>3. If the Sith couldn't get to Naboo so easily, they'd wait until someone goes to free Shmi, and then capture him to lur the others off, which would work eventually. This would probably have the same result as the previous one.</p><p>4. Or, since Sidious would still have contact with them (it would be easy, given they're on his home planet. He could use Padme to get through to them), he could make Dooku Fall and leave, taking the twins with him. Which would be cool, but it'd end up far too much like Brotherhood, and I really don't want to do a third version of that.</p><p>So out of all those options, I'm sure you can understand why we chose what we did.</p><p>~ Rivana Rita</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Aniya Skywalker</span>
</p><p>"Missing someone?" I ask, sitting down next to Anakin, who's still staring out the window like he has been for a while now.</p><p>He doesn't answer, but after a long moment of silence, comments, "I wonder when we'll see Padme and Jaufre again." Oh. So that's the problem. I know he's been thinking about her – and her brother – a lot since we left Naboo to start our training on Coruscant three years ago. <em>Three years.</em> It has been three years since we came here, and I remember the beginning like yesterday. Maybe even clearer in some ways. They were the first real friends we ever made, the only ones we'll remember every second of our lives.</p><p>Thankfully, we were allowed to keep in contact with them. Probably because they're the only people outside from our masters who can try to help us get over everything that happened. It's really nice to have someone to talk to who can help you through your emotions. As time goes on, we've been talking to them a little less frequently. It started out as once every two weeks, but now it's gotten down to about once a month.</p><p>"I wonder also." I sigh, leaning back against the couch. Throughout the years of being here, I grown to love the place, and I love learning about the Force. And our masters. We both love each other's as much as our own. Obi-Wan is a lot like an older brother to both of us. Still, there <em>are</em> some things I don't like about here. Mainly the people. Nearly everyone we've met seems to think we shouldn't be trained and don't even <em>belong</em> here.</p><p>I have yet to make a close friend here, and strangely enough, the only girl I've ever been very close with is Padme. Naturally, it's made me really want to see her again. I want to see Jaufre again, too, though. We <em>both</em> do. Talking to them over a hologram just isn't quite the same as being able to see them for real, but I'm just glad we can at all.</p><p>What's really struck me as strange is that Anakin seems to miss Padme more than I do. And I have my suspicions that he cares for her more too. Which <em>is</em> weird. I wonder again if a thought that crossed my mind recently is right. <em>Does he have a crush on Padme?</em> Now that I'm older, I actually do let my mind wonder about such things. Jedi aren't allowed to have relationships, which is fine with me. I can't think of anyone I'd care to have one with. For a moment, a mental image of Jaufre flickers through my mind. No, I am not interested in that. I am <em>not</em>. I'm going to ask Anakin about the Padme thing sometime. Just… not right now.</p><p>"I hope we get to go on a mission soon," Anakin comments. I smirk. We haven't been allowed to go on missions yet since we are still very young. We haven't been able to do anything awesome since back at Naboo actually. As excited as I am to start going on missions, I'm honestly a little worried. Once we do, we won't be around each other as much anymore. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan won't always go everywhere together, so nor will we. And I'm not ready for things to change so much yet again.</p><p>"I hope you know we won't be with each other twenty-four seven after that," I state.</p><p>"And we are now?"</p><p>I roll my eyes. "No, but pretty much always when we're awake. Since, you know, it would be hard to cram four people into two bedrooms. Unless someone would rather sleep on the couch." We stay in separate apartments with our masters, but we're still together every chance we get.</p><p>My mind wanders back to those days three years ago when we were given a new life. The one we always wanted. I have a secret hope that we can go to Naboo again when we're older. I wonder how much, if anything, has changed. I haven't been to many places yet, so I'm still firmly convinced it's the most beautiful planet there is. It feels so peaceful, too. The planet itself practically radiates a feeling of peace and calm. It's no wonder Padme was so reluctant to go to war, being from such a place.</p><p>Tatooine is nothing like that. You <em>know</em> there's danger everywhere. It's a wild, uncivilized place, and even the planet itself radiates with it. Coruscant is far better, and beautiful in its own way. Still, it doesn't have that feeling of <em>tranquility</em>.</p><p>I still don't miss anything about Tatooine. Except our mother. It's gotten better with time, and now I can tell we don't absolutely <em>need</em> her with us all the time, but that doesn't mean I don't wish I knew she was fine. And that we'd be able to see her again. "I miss Mom," I blurt out.</p><p>Anakin glances at me. "Me too." I get what they say about attachments, but would seeing her really hurt? It's not like it would make us care about her any less. That will <em>never </em>change. I can't help but be upset with the Council. There's no reason they couldn't have brought her here. At least Qui-Gon was able to free her though.</p><p>I can't imagine what it must be like to live on Tatooine completely alone. Anakin and I had actually asked Qui-Gon if there were a way we could see or talk to her anyway, but he told us there wasn't.</p><p>Anakin must have been following the same line of thought as me because he says, "We will see her again someday. Even if it won't be for a long time."</p><p>"We promised," I agree. He's right. I just don't have a clue how we'll do that. But we will. <em>Someday</em>, when we're older… We'll definitely get the chance eventually.</p><p>"Maybe we'll end up nearby on a mission sometime. A slight detour wouldn't hurt," Anakin suggests optimistically.</p><p>I shrug. "Perhaps." I won't voice my skepticism, just keep it to myself. As nice as that would be, I honestly doubt it would work. The circumstances would have to be right, plus I think the Council would expect us to do something like that. At the very least, they would consider it a possibility, and probably never let us go near that area of the Outer Rim. I'm honestly afraid we'll have to wait until we become Knights when we'll have some control over where we go and what we do. But that's not going to be for many more years.</p><p>A sigh escapes me as my annoyance increases. What's wrong with attachments, with caring about people? It drives me crazy that Anakin and I have to try our best to keep how close we are a secret around everyone except our Masters. No one other than them understand it. We're practically inseparable, and I can't imagine a life without Anakin. Honestly, I don't think I'd survive it.</p><p>I get why they'd say that <em>could be</em> dangerous, but at the same time, it brings so much light to us. How could something that feels so positive, the only thing that can make me feel completely <em>light</em> sometimes, be considered <em>dangerous</em> and not allowed?</p><p>"You feel rather irritated," Anakin comments, breaking me out of my thoughts.</p><p>I jump, instantly worried that he could actually feel that. Our Masters probably would have too. And what's worse is that as much as I hate the darkness, I can't seem to push it off completely. I know I need to be calm, but it's not something I have an easy time with. At all. "Sorry about that," I mumble, "Just getting frustrated. I can't understand why things have to be this way."</p><p>I really, really want to blame my moments of darkness on the way we're treated most of the time, but honestly, I'm afraid that's not entirely true. Maybe it is. It'd be hard to say, but we really need to get better control on our emotions sometimes.</p><p>Shaking my head, I quickly force those thoughts out of mind. <em>Focus on the positive side, Aniya</em> I remind myself. Really, we do have many things to be grateful for. At least we have each other. And Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. I'm forever thankful to the Force for giving me the vision so that I was able to save Qui-Gon.</p><p>If not for that, who knows what would have happened to us? Without Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan probably wouldn't have been able to find us after we were kidnapped. And Dooku probably wouldn't have gotten involved either. We might still be in the hands of the Sith right now. I shudder at the thought.</p><p><em>Or </em>in the pretty much non-existent chance that we were both trained as Jedi from the start, we wouldn't really be able to be together at all since I'm certain no other masters would be like Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.</p><p>Chancellor Palpatine certainly kept his promise to watch over us here. For most people that would be considered a great honor. I certainly consider it one, but at the same time, for some unexplainable reason, it scares me. Over time, I've been becoming less wary of him, but the first time I saw him has stuck in my mind. I don't completely trust him, and nor do I think I ever will. I often get the feeling that when Anakin and I are around him, it's just making him pay more attention to us than the galaxy… and <em>that</em> is annoying. And almost unnerving. We should never be considered that important to anyone. At least not him. Maybe I'm just a skeptic, but I don't get how he could consider us that important. Not that I'm not grateful, but something feels out of place.</p><p>I don't want to tell anyone about the feeling I first got, but at least Anakin always hears me out about what I have to say when it comes to the Chancellor. He may not always completely agree with me, but he definitely doesn't fully trust Palpatine either. We're both torn on whether we're missing something huge or if he actually cares <em>that</em> much. I wouldn't consider it impossible, just… unlikely.</p><p>As much as I hated having to leave Tatooine several years ago, now I know it was definitely worth it. Even if being here isn't easy most of the time, I know one thing for certain. We are here where we belong. As Jedi.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)</p><p>The prologue in the sequel, Path to War, will be released today as well. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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